Back in the 1990s, Kevin Costner had become a household name due to the unparalleled fame the actor had achieved. With several notable and iconic movies like The Bodyguard, The Untouchables, and, Field of Dreams to his name, Costner had become the epitome of a moral compass and righteousness.
This came at a heavy cost to the actor since the “near-perfect” film that went on to win several Oscars had asked Kevin Costner to star in it. As per the reports, Costner was too busy finishing his own movie and had to regrettably pass up on the role of Andy in The Shawshank Redemption.
Kevin Costner Rejected A Pivotal Role In The Shawshank Redemption!
Back in 1994, Hollywood changed when Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins released The Shawshank Redemption. Being one of the highest-rated movies on IMDB, the film talked about the philosophy of hope and forgiveness amidst times of turmoil.
With such an interesting story to take on, the role of Andy Dufresne was initially offered to Hollywood legend Kevin Costner. Having the image of being a self-righteous man, Costner was the perfect choice for the character. The actor’s personal project, however, was the one thing that held Costner back from starring in the movie. From a report, it was revealed that the Yellowstone actor had already working for 2 years on his personal project titled Waterworld.
Being a movie about a mutated mariner saving a woman and a child, Waterworld did not receive the critical acclaim that Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins received for The Shawshank Redemption. Kevin Costner used to work 12 hours a day and 6 days a week to turn his passion project into a reality. When Costner rejected the role, the character of Andy Dufresne was passed on to another legendary actor known for his action movies.
Tom Cruise Also Rejected The Role of Andy Dufresne
After Kevin Costner rejected the role, the character was passed on to Tom Cruise. The Top Gun actor was heavily invested in the role and also attended several table readings for the same. Director Frank Darabont was attached to the project and apparently…he and Cruise did not get along.
Tom Cruise walked out of the movie due to his conflicts with director Frank Darabont led him to reject the role of Andy Dufresne. The role then finally went to Tim Robbins. The Shawshank Redemption went on to receive a high rating of 9.3/10 on IMDB and 91% on Rotten Tomatoes. The 1994 film is available to stream on Prime Video across the U.S.
Source: Far Out Magazine
