10 Actors Who Quit Movies Because Of Other Actors

10. Julia Roberts Quit Because She Couldn't Convince Daniel Day-Lewis To Co-Star - Shakespeare In Love

In the case of Julia Roberts, she didn't quit a movie because of a problematic actor she refused to work with, but actually quite the opposite.

Best Picture-winning dramedy Shakespeare in Love was in development for years before finally getting made. It very nearly started shooting in the early '90s, with Julia Roberts set to play the part of Viola de Lesseps, later played by Gwyneth Paltrow to Oscar-winning success.

However, Roberts' contract gave her control over the casting of her co-stars, and insisted that the still-uncast part of William Shakespeare be offered to Daniel Day-Lewis, believing him the only actor capable of playing the Bard.

But the famously selective Day-Lewis ended up turning the part down, and even though Roberts allegedly flew to the UK to try and convince him personally, he opted to star in In the Name of the Father instead, for which he received a Best Actor Oscar nomination.

As a result of this, Roberts dropped out of the film a mere six weeks before shooting was set to begin, with sets and costumes already being created.

Universal ended up putting the project on ice, and director Edward Zwick failed to successfully shop it to other studios until the late '90s when Miramax finally took a punt on it.