Tom Cruise’s enduring presence as a leading man in Hollywood has spanned almost four decades, making him one of the few actors to have maintained such dominance on the silver screen. His remarkable achievement lies in the fact that he is just as much a beloved action hero among today’s youth as he was to the younger generation of the ’80s, cementing his status as a cultural icon.
Despite his impressive filmography, Tom Cruise has had the privilege of sharing the screen with Hollywood legends from various eras. Appearing in numerous films over almost four decades, there are still a handful of notable stars whom Cruise has yet to collaborate with, although a few have come remarkably close.
Ricky Gervais Lost A Role In Mission: Impossible III
During the production of Mission: Impossible III, Tom Cruise, who is also a producer of the franchise, tried to bring in a fresh perspective. Despite his unsuccessful attempts to kick off the project with Joe Carnahan and a star-studded cast that included Scarlett Johansson, Kenneth Branagh, and Carrie-Anne Moss, as reported by Slashfilm, Cruise eventually enlisted the help of television director J.J. Abrams to direct the upcoming installment.
To inject some new blood into the cast, Abrams extended an offer to Ricky Gervais, the mastermind behind the acclaimed British sitcom The Office. By January 2005, Ricky Gervais had officially secured the role of the peculiar tech expert, Benji Dunn, and was thrilled to be part of the film.
“I greatly admire the director Abrams and Tom Cruise is the greatest film star of our generation. It should be fun,” Gervais told the Daily Mirror at the time.
Despite his soaring success with his own television series, he was also committed to appearing in the Christopher Guest movie, For Your Consideration. Sadly, the repeated setbacks in the film’s production proved to be problematic for the actor. Eventually, Gervais had to withdraw from the project, and his role was filled by Shaun of the Dead star Simon Pegg.
Also Read: Tom Cruise Made a Gargantuan $130M Salary for 2005 Steven Spielberg Movie That Never Got a Sequel
Popular Actors To Refuse A Role In A Tom Cruise Film
The list doesn’t end with Ricky Gervais; as many other stars have refused or lost roles in Tom Cruise films. Some of these actors include Javier Bardem, who lost a role in the Spielberg-directed sci-fi action film Minority Report. Ultimately the role was played by Irish actor Colin Farell, who had made his debut just three years before the film.
In 2012, Jessica Chastain was all set to portray Julia in Oblivion but was presented with an opportunity by director Kathryn Bigelow to star in Zero Dark Thirty, a military thriller. Impressed by the script, Chastain approached Cruise with the news, and to her surprise, he not only approved but personally spoke to the studio about releasing her from her contractual obligations.
The list also includes Ian McKellan, who almost landed a part in Mission: Impossible II. During an interview with People Magazine in 2015, the actor revealed that he refused the offer because it would have forfeited the opportunity to portray two of his most legendary characters. Former NBA star Dennis Rodman also turned down a part in Cruise’s 1996 film Jerry Maguire.
Source: Looper
