7 Actors Who Turned Down Seriously Big TV Shows

Summary Actors must weigh pay, project success, and schedule before accepting roles, leading to unique career choices.

Oliver Hudson missed a chemistry test for a role in This Is Us due to a fishing trip, showing amusing priorities.

Dana Delany turned down Sex and the City and Desperate Housewives to avoid typecasting despite similar themes.

Many actors have been given the opportunity to star in what would eventually become highly acclaimed television series, but chose to decline the offer. For many of these actors, the opportunity came at an inconvenient time in their careers. Some actors, such as Brian Cox, wished to be paid more, and others, such as Katie Holmes or Gillian Anderson, were committed to responsibilities outside of work. From an audience's perspective, it appears to be an obvious decision to star in a series such as Game of Thrones or The Office. However, there was no way to know just how big these series would become following their premieres.

Similar to actors who turned down major movie roles, the act of choosing which roles to take comes with a personal checklist that varies from one actor to another. The pay, success of a project, and being in accordance with a current filming schedule are all things actors must consider before saying yes to a movie or television series. Many actors can look back on their decisions and, while some regret their choice to turn down the opportunity, others are more than content with where they ended up.

Related 10 Actors Who Turned Down The Chance To Return For TV Show Reboots Despite many TV shows getting reboots or revivals, the original stars often turn down the chance to return because they have moved on from the role.

7 Macaulay Culkin

Turned Down A Role In The Big Bang Theory

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Some actors are repeatedly asked to star in a television series, despite the actors' consistent denial, and that's what happened with Macaulay Culkin. During an interview on Joe Rogan's podcast, Culkin discussed how he was consistently sought after for The Big Bang Theory. Following a group of friends, characterized by their passion for science, The Big Bang Theory has become a beloved sitcom over the years. However, it didn't appear that way when the concept was initially pitched to Culkin.

In the interview, Culkin described the pitch as a bit zany, saying, "The pitch was 'Alright, these two astrophysicist nerds and a pretty girl lives with them. Yoinks!'" Culkin said the network was incredibly persistent, asking him multiple times if he'd consider starring in the sitcom, to the point that Culkin's management team was suggesting he take it. In the end, his initial denial was accepted by the network and Culkin expressed slight regret, though he's mostly sure of his decision, saying, "I'd have hundreds of millions of dollars right now... At the same time, I'd be bashing my head against the wall."

6 Katie Holmes

Turned Down Buffy The Vampire Slayer Due To School Commitments

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Among the actresses who almost played Buffy Summers in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, is Katie Holmes. For Buffy the Vampire Slayer's creator, Joss Whedon, Holmes was a top contender for the lead role, but she decided to turn down the opportunity so that she could finish high school. Though it would have been interesting to see Holmes take on the lead role in the television series, Sarah Michelle Gellar portrayed Buffy in a way that now feels irreplaceable. Luckily, audiences wouldn't have to wonder for long what Holmes would be like in a lead role as the opportunity to star in Dawson's Creek came shortly after.

Similarly, with Dawson's Creek, Holmes remained committed to her high school activities when the date of her audition took place during the time she was starring in her school play. Holmes, not wanting to let her school down, initially declined the chance to audition for the series. However, the producers of Dawson's Creek allowed Holmes to film her audition on videotape and send it to them in Los Angeles, ultimately landing her the famed role of Joey Potter.

5 Brian Cox

Turned Down Game Of Thrones Due To The Pay

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Known best for his role as the impudent Logan Roy in Succession, Brian Cox was also given the chance to star in another acclaimed HBO series, Game of Thrones. In an excerpt from his memoir, Putting the Rabbit in the Hat, Cox details being offered the role of Robert Baratheon in Game of Thrones, a character that would be played by Mark Addy instead. Cox admits he turned down the offer because the pay didn't amount to much. Years before his memoir, Cox did an interview in which he expressed regret over his choice to decline (via Vodzilla).

Well, stupidly, I turned it down in the early days because they didn't pay enough money [laughs]. Now they have more money. And I was silly. I was silly, it was silly, because I'm a complete addict now. But I don't know what I could play.

However, that sense of regret appears to have softened as he now feels the short-lived time on the series wouldn't have been worth it in the end. He reflected on his decision in his memoir (via Vanity Fair), writing, "I wouldn't have had any of the benefits of the long-term effects of a successful series where your wages go way up with each passing season." The character, Robert Baratheon, appeared in the series premiere but is killed by a boar only a few episodes later in episode seven. Cox would later see greater success after leading Succession and earning numerous Emmy and Golden Globe nominations.

Related Brian Cox’s 10 Best Movies & TV Shows, Ranked Though best known for his role as Logan Roy on Succession, Brian Cox is a skilled actor who has made his mark across film and television.

4 Oliver Hudson

Turned Down The Role Of Jack Pearson In This Is Us

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Milo Ventimiglia is the actor known for playing the role of Jack Pearson in This Is Us. However, Oliver Hudson was incredibly close to taking on the role instead. Hudson, best known for his roles in series such as Rules of Engagement and The Cleaning Lady, did an interview on the LadyGang podcast in which he revealed how his audition for the role of Jack went well and could have resulted in the part being his.

Following his audition, Hudson was asked to come in and do a chemistry test with Mandy Moore, who played Jack's wife, Rebecca Pearson. However, his reasoning for missing out on the chemistry test is humorous and Hudson doesn't appear to share much regret over his choice. In the interview, Hudson explained that he was impressed with the script, and knowing it could turn into something successful, he still prioritized a fishing trip over the test with Moore, sharing, "I had a 10-day fishing trip planned. It's my life! Fishing is a big part of my life."

3 Dana Delany

Turned Down Roles In Sex And The City And Desperate Housewives

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Sometimes actors turn down opportunities to avoid typecasting or to expand the content within their filmography. Dana Delany chose to make this sort of decision when she was offered the lead role of Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City (via Today). The series creator, Darren Star, offered Delany the role, but she felt the title alone was too similar to previous work she'd done. In an interview with the L.A. Times, Delany said, "I just said to Darren, 'I cannot do a show with "sex" in the title.' People will lynch me if I do one more thing about sex."

During this time, Delany starred in films such as Exit to Eden and Live Nude Girls, which both films contained sexual themes. The latter also happens to star Sex and the City actress Kim Cattrall, who portrayed Samantha Jones. Delany also initially turned down a role in Desperate Housewives as well. Delany was first offered the role of Bree Van de Kamp, but she felt it was too similar to a character she had recently played. However, Delany would eventually join Desperate Housewives, but instead as Katherine Mayfair.

2 Gillian Anderson

Turned Down Game Of Thrones Role To Spend Time With Her Family

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Just like Brian Cox and many other notable actors, Gillian Anderson was given the chance to star in Game of Thrones, though she's never confirmed which character she almost played. Ranked highly as one of the most powerful characters in Game of Thrones, many believe the role of Cersei Lannister, who eventually was portrayed by Lena Headey, was almost Anderson's. In an interview with the Daily Mail in 2013, Anderson briefly discussed turning down Game of Thrones, saying her daughter couldn't believe Anderson would decline such an opportunity, saying, "My 18-year-old cannot believe that I would turn down Game of Thrones or Downton - things she loves to watch."

Ultimately, Anderson's choice was due to her desire to spend more time with her family. Anderson didn't feel as though the opportunity justified being away from home for an extended period, and she further explained that working with a director like Martin Scorsese would be the only way to get her away from home for that long. Though Anderson missed out on the acclaim received by Headey for the role, she still found a lot of success in series such as The X-Files and The Crown.

1 Paul Giamatti

Turned Down The Chance To Play Michael Scott To Focus On Films

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Before being given to Steve Carell, many other actors were up for the part of Michael Scott, including recent Academy Award nominee, Paul Giamatti. Though he was asked to audition, Giamatti passed on the offer, choosing to prioritize his film career instead. During this time, Giamatti had just received lots of acclaim for his role as Miles Raymond in the 2004 film Sideways and his success in the film industry would only continue to increase as he followed up with a role in the film Cinderella Man, earning Giamatti his first Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

Eventually, Giamatti would make the transition into leading television roles with the HBO miniseries John Adams, portraying the titular character and winning both an Emmy and a Golden Globe for the role. While Giamatti's commitment to film during the early 2000s paid off, audiences will always be left wondering what the memorable character of Michael Scott could have looked like if Giamatti, or the other actors up for the role, had led the series instead. Other actors considered alongside Giamatti include Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Jon Favreau, and Bob Odenkirk.