There are many actors who have turned down starring roles for a variety of reasons. Fortunately, the eventual leading man or woman seems unquestionable in the majority of these cases. One such instance was when the gifted Leonardo DiCaprio decided to pass up the chance to play the lead role in the classic fantasy comedy film Hocus Pocus.
Directed by Kenny Ortega, the 1993 film had a star-studded cast that included Bette Midler and Sarah Jessica Parker (the Sex and the City star). You may not be aware, though, that DiCaprio also showed up to the role’s auditions.
The opportunity to play Max Dennison in Hocus Pocus was presented to the actor when he was just on the verge of becoming a major star. But he eventually declined the role that was later bagged by Omri Katz.
Why Did Leonardo DiCaprio Reject His Starring Role in Hocus Pocus?
Leonardo DiCaprio, who was still a few years away from becoming a household name in 1993, had already established himself as one of the most popular actors.
Kenny Ortega, who worked on Dirty Dancing and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and later directed the High School Musical, took a chance and tried to cast DiCaprio in the lead role in Hocus Pocus, even though he was pretty booked up. During a conversation with Entertainment Weekly, Ortega recalled his encounter with the actor:
“The [casting] ladies called me up, and they said, ‘We’re sending you an actor today, but he’s not available, but you’re going to fall in love with him, but you can’t have him.’ I’m like, ‘Why are you teasing me?’ They were like, ‘You need to see this guy because he’ll inspire you and if nothing else, he’ll help you find the right guy to play Max.’
The director, 73, continued by describing how, despite being aware of DiCaprio’s commitment to his other projects, he could not help but fall under his charm (via Entertainment Weekly):
“He’s just the most sincere and most centered and a wild child at the same time. He was feeling awkward. He was like, ‘I just feel really bad being here because I’m up for two other movies and I really want them both and I don’t want to lead you on.’ I was like, ‘That’s okay, I was already warned. What are the movies?’ One of them was This Boy’s Life and the other one was What’s Eating Gilbert Grape. Obviously, he left and incredible things happened for that young man and to this day, but meeting him awakened me to the kind of spirit and fun and sincerity that I was looking for in an actor.”
The Titanic Star Rejected To Work in Hocus Pocus Despite the Huge Pay
Leonardo DiCaprio eventually went down a different, more illustrious path as a result of his choice to decline the lead role in Hocus Pocus. The actor claimed in a 2014 interview with Variety that he was offered “more money than I ever dreamed of” for the role of Max.
The Academy Award-winning actor elaborated on his decision by saying:
“I don’t know where the hell I got the nerve. You live in an environment where you’re influenced by people telling you to make a lot of money and strike while the iron’s hot. But if there’s one thing I’m very proud of, it’s being a young man who was sticking to my guns.”
In 2017, Kenny Ortega spoke candidly with ET about the Hocus Pocus remake on the Disney Channel and what it would be like without Sarah Jessica Parker and Bette Midler reprising their roles:
“I don’t think you have to recreate the magic. I think you start all over and make new magic.”
Hocus Pocus did not perform well at the box office and received mixed reviews from critics, costing Disney perhaps $16.5 million during its theatrical run. However, it did give rise to a franchise that included Hocus Pocus 2, which debuted on Disney+ in 2022, a novelization of the sequel, and a short film.
You can stream Hocus Pocus on Disney Plus.
Source- Entertainment Weekly; Variety; ET
