The eccentric and flamboyant character of Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise has been immortalized by Johnny Depp to perfection. The actor who is known for his quirky choice of films, infused a unique energy into the character in a way that nobody else possibly could have.
As hard as it is to believe, Depp was not the first choice for the film. Veteran star and Oscar winner Robert De Niro was approached to play the role of Captain Jack Sparrow. The Godfather actor rejected the offer as he felt that the film would be a flop. De Niro though, was proved completely wrong in his prediction. The star then attempted to make amends by taking on a similar pirate role in Stardust.
Robert De Niro’s Rejection Of Pirates Of The Caribbean Led Him To This Other Film
Johnny Depp’s portrayal of Captain Jack Sparrow is a performance that cannot be recreated by any other actor. The talented star’s complete submission to the quirky nature of the character ensured that the film and its sequels became colossal hits worldwide. One actor who could have challenged Depp in this department is Robert De Niro who interestingly, was the first choice for the part.
The Oscar winner though, did not take up the offer as he was of the opinion that the film would not work at the box office. His refusal ultimately led to the casting of Depp who worked his campy and eccentric magic on the character, making him a huge icon with audiences. This performance was instrumental in making the franchise one of the most successful ones in Hollywood.
De Niro, a master of character study, had not played this kind of role in his career till then. While Pirates of the Caribbean would have been a perfect platform to tap into his quirky side, the Taxi Driver star seemingly made amends for this costly miss by starring as a campy pirate in the film Stardust. The part though, was only a cameo and did not showcase the vast range that De Niro has.
Robert De Niro Also Gave This Oscar-Winning Movie A Miss
With a flawless track record of one blockbuster film after another, Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese are undoubtedly the hottest creative collaboration in Hollywood. But Scorsese once revealed that De Niro was never one to accept all of his film offers. The actor rejected one of the director’s cult films stating that he wasn’t keen on doing it. The film in question was one of Scorsese’s top grossers, the Academy Award winning The Departed. It earned a total of over $280 million at the box office while also winning critical acclaim by winning 4 Oscars that year.
Despite the Meet the Parents star’s costly miss, the veteran director spoke about how fate always brought both De Niro and him back together despite not working with each other for long stretches of time. True to his words, the two celebrities reunited this year for Killers of the Moon which is expected to be a main contender during the awards season.
Source: Screen Rant
