Matt Damon and Mark Wahlberg are two major movie stars in Hollywood. They have been in some of the crown jewels of Hollywood cinema and have cemented themselves among the legacy of great actors in the industry. They have even worked together in Martin Scorsese’s The Departed. Their inclusion in a movie can guarantee a large awareness and excitement of the movie and a large potential box office draw at the time of release. Despite having such illustrious careers, there have been some rare golden opportunities that they passed on early in their career may be due to the conscience or the social stigma of people at the time.
Many people may not know that both Damon and Wahlberg along with several others were considered for the 2005 romantic drama film Brokeback Mountain. The film which featured two gay characters falling in love may have put off the actors from participating in the film due to the bold subject matter. It also may be because of the fear of how audiences would receive the film at a time when queer stories were not common.
Both Matt Damon and Mark Wahlberg Turned Down Brokeback Mountain
Before Ang Lee was given the directing duties for Brokeback Mountain, director Gus Van Sant was attached to direct the flick which was considered a bold love story during the time. Understandably, actors were not sure about the potential of the film and how people would receive a queer romantic drama. Many prominent actors including Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Bratt Pitt turned down being involved in the film. Van Sant told Indiewire,
“Nobody wanted to do it. I was working on it, and I felt like we needed a really strong cast, like a famous cast. That wasn’t working out. I asked the usual suspects: Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, and Ryan Phillippe. They all said no.”
Diana Ossana, one of the screenwriters of the film echoed Van Sant’s sentiments and frustrations of not being able to find anyone willing to commit to this unique project. She even mentioned how Joaquin Phoenix and Mark Wahlberg also turned down the film (via Esquire). Wahlberg later admitted why he was hesitant to take part in the film saying, (via Towleroad)
“I met with Ang Lee on that movie, I read 15 pages of the script and got a little creeped out. It was very graphic, descriptive – the spitting on the hand, getting ready to do the thing. I told Ang Lee, ‘I like you, you’re a talented guy, if you want to talk about it more…’ Thankfully, he didn’t. I didn’t rush to see Brokeback, it’s just not my deal… Obviously, it was done in taste – look how it was received.”
Jack Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger were eventually cast in the film. The film has been considered a landmark film in how queer stories have been portrayed and perceived by people. The film won 3 Oscars including Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Original Score while also being nominated for Best Picture.
Jake Gyllenhaal is Really Proud of Brokeback Mountain and Its Impact
Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger grew extremely close while working on Brokeback Mountain. The bold subject matter of the film and the heartfelt romance between their characters moved them, driving their enthusiasm in making the film special. Gyllenhaal told Vanity Fair,
“The relationship between me and Heath while we were making this movie was something that was based on a profound love for a lot of people that we knew and were raised by in our lives. A deep respect for their love and their relationship. There were many jokes being made about the movie, or poking fun at, things like that. And [Ledger’s] consummate devotion to how serious and important the relationship between these two characters was.
It showed me how devoted he was as an actor and how devoted we both were to the story and the movie. The profound realization of—the profundity of this thing washed over us. It happens constantly to this day, and I can’t really express how proud I am of it”
Audiences can experience the heartfelt yet heartbreaking romance between Ennis Del Mar and Jack Twist in Brokeback Mountain on Netflix.
Sources: Indiewire, Esquire, Towleroad, Vanity Fair
