1. Brad Pitt & Ryan Gosling Turned Down Matthew McConaughey's Role In Dallas Buyers Club
Dallas Buyers Club pretty much marks the crowning achievement thus far in the esteemed and lauded period of time that has come to be known as "the McConaissance." Yes, Matthew McConaughey has staged what is arguably the greatest comeback in the history of Hollywood: as of 2012's The Lincoln Lawyer, this "who knew he was so talented?" actor has excelled in movie after movie, and has even been Oscar-nominated for his turn as cowboy Ron Woodroof, who finds himself infected with AIDs and begins to illegally important medication. Despite the fact that the movie's director, Jean Marc-Vallee, was not - at first - convinced that McConaughey was the right man for the job, it's not hyperbolic to say that it turned out that there probably wasn't a better man alive to play the part. Still, Dallas Buyers Club had been shopped around for years before the actor got involved, with two of Hollywood's biggest stars - at one time or another - set to take on the role of wild Ron Woodroof, who was based on a real person. Those actors were Brad Pitt and Ryan Gosling, who - as early as 2008 - were attached to the project, which was repeatedly put on the back burner due to the subject matter, which wasn't deemed to be marketable (it was "rejected" 87 times). Pitt and Gosling departed from the project when it failed to gain traction, but - given the success of the film and the praise that Matthew McConaughey has received - they might feel a little bit of a sting come Oscar time. Like this article? Let us know in the comments section below.
