Top 10 Times Characters Were Cut From Movies
#10: Kevin Costner
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“The Big Chill” (1983) Getting started in Hollywood isn’t easy, so you have to take opportunities when they come. One of the earlier gigs Costner got was as Alex in “The Big Chill”, a film centered around the aftermath of his character’s passing. While it’s understandable he wouldn’t have had much screen time due to playing a dead guy, there were flashbacks that didn’t make the cut. While it wasn’t a starring role, it could’ve potentially been an important chance to add context and depth to both the character and the overall story. However, the director, Lawrence Kasdan, ultimately felt that the idea just wasn’t landing. It’s not all bad, though– Costner was subsequently cast in Kasdan’s “Silverado”, which helped jumpstart the actor’s illustrious career.
#9: Ellen Pompeo
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“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” (2004) Before finding success on television as Meredith Grey, the actress notably also tried her hand at the silver screen. At one point, Pompeo was cast in “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”, as a character named Naomi, who had a relationship with protagonist Joel. While the segments were recorded, they were ultimately taken out, despite the screenwriter trying his best to save her role. From what has surfaced since, we can gather that she would’ve largely been the opposite Kate Winslet’s Clementine. This definitely could’ve added an interesting dimension to the story, and to Joel’s development. Luckily for Pompeo though, “Grey’s Anatomy” premiered just a year after “Eternal Sunshine” came out, and she’s been booked and busy ever since.
#8: Viggo Mortensen
“The Purple Rose of Cairo” (1985) Considering how much of a household name he is now, it’s hard to believe that he had a relatively slower start to his career. Early on, Mortensen was cast in a Woody Allen project, “The Purple Rose of Cairo”. This could have been his big break, but things didn’t quite go to plan. According to him, once he was on set, he wasn’t given any direction on what to do or say. While he gave it his best shot, he learned once the film was released that he didn’t make the cut. It certainly would’ve been interesting to witness the now-seasoned performer handling that situation as a newbie on the big screen, though.
#7: Ana De Armas
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“Yesterday” (2019) Ana de Armas was set to co-star in 2019’s “Yesterday”, a movie about a man, Jack, waking up in a world where the Beatles never existed. De Armas was going to play Jack’s romantic prospect, named Roxanne. The edition including her was shown to a sample audience, who found that their relationship made him seem less likable. This led to her being removed. However, by that point she was in the trailer that had already been released. A couple of her admirers even sued the studio for false advertisement, with the case eventually being dismissed in 2022. It kind of sounds like something they could make a movie about, doesn’t it?
#6: Mick Jagger
“Fitzcarraldo” (1982) The Rolling Stones frontman took the world by storm with his music, but also started dabbling in acting. He notably found a part in a German adventure picture, “Fitzcarraldo”, as the protagonist’s assistant, which would’ve been an opportunity for him to flex his chops. However, his own star power ended up getting in the way. The band was nearing a peak, and were thus set to tour. This conflicted with filming, which had itself been pushed back for unrelated reasons, so the moviemaker made the call to erase Jagger’s part entirely. While that wasn’t the singer’s big acting break, he’s since been able to show off his skills in other projects.
#5: Jena Malone
“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” (2016) Considering this film had a runtime of roughly two and a half hours in the theatrical cut, it makes sense that scenes – and even characters – would be erased throughout the process. However, that probably didn’t stop many from being disappointed when scientist Jenet Klyburn, portrayed by Jena Malone, didn’t make the final edit. If you’ve seen her work in things like “The Hunger Games” franchise or 2005’s “Pride & Prejudice”, you know she has the chops to nail any role. Unfortunately, we only got to see her appearance in the “Ultimate Edition” cut of the flick. While the role wasn’t huge, people still got to enjoy a glimpse of what she could bring to a superhero series.
#4: Christopher Lee
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“The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” (2003) Christopher Lee, who played the villainous Saruman, was an essential part of “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy. In the third film, he was supposed to meet his end in a dramatic climax. However, during the editing process, director Peter Jackson Jackson found that it didn’t quite fit the narrative they had already set. Thus, his swan song was removed, to the dismay of both fans and Lee himself. He was understandably confused, feeling it was important plot-wise. Some folks even started a petition in protest. While his part was included in the much longer extended edition, some can’t help but wish it had made it to the theater as well.
#3: Shailene Woodley
“The Amazing Spider-Man 2” (2014) Besides Gwen Stacy, Mary Jane Watson was supposed to be a key player in “The Amazing Spider-Man” series. When Shailene Woodley was rumored to have the part in movie #2, many were excited to see her play off of Andrew Garfield. And indeed, she shot some scenes. However, the director eventually made the call to put the focus entirely on Peter and Gwen, erasing MJ from the story. Thankfully, the decision ended up working out – with viewers largely loving the central pair’s romance. Still, it might’ve been fun to see how Woodley fit into the universe. However, the actress seemed to totally understand the creative choice, and had nothing but good things to say about the series.
#2: Mickey Rourke
“The Thin Red Line” (1998) Some filmmakers add a lot at first, and wind up editing extensively later on. This was the case for Terrence Malick with “The Thin Red Line”, which at one point boasted several additional A-List celebrities. However, many of these stars had their scenes reduced or removed entirely, and this included Mickey Rourke. He was reportedly offended, as he felt that he had produced some of his finest material. He also implied that his part was axed for “political reasons” rather than professional ones. Rourke was still seen on the big screen in other ‘90s flicks like “Buffalo ‘66,” but we imagine this had to have hurt. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
Ashley Judd, “Natural Born Killers” (1994)
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Paul Rudd, “Bridesmaids” (2011)
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Sienna Miller, “Black Mass” (2015)
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#1: Harrison Ford
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“E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” (1982) Some actors have so much star power that even a single cameo could overshadow the rest of the film. By the time “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” came out, Harrison Ford had already proven himself as a box office champion with his roles in the “Star Wars” and “Indiana Jones” series. He was cast in the alien flick as Elliott's principal, but Steven Spielberg had a change of heart, and the cameo appearance ended up on the cutting room floor. The moment lives on as a bonus feature, but hasn’t been added to re-releases. Making that call can’t have been easy, but ultimately, Spielberg likely did what he thought was best, and there’s no denying “E.T.” is an iconic movie.
