10 Actors That Gambled Their Careers By NOT Taking Huge Movie Roles

Every famous actor has that one role that defined their career. Whether it be for the best or for the worst, there is always that one part that becomes synonymous with their name. Like Miley Cyrus as Hannah Montana or Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode, no matter what they do they can't shake those characters off.

Most actors remember these roles with fondness, recognising the fame and fortune they may have brought them, while the others think back with regret and shame, wishing they could go back in time so that they can refuse the role.

But then there is another, less talked about group: the actors that auditioned for a famous role, or got offered the part outright, but ultimately decided not to take it. Sometimes that can work out for the best - I bet any actor that managed to avoid getting cast in Movie 43 still celebrates that close-call to this day - other times, however, it can turn out for the worst.

Whatever the outcome, not taking a role is a huge risk, and you've got to have some big kahonas if you're going to take that risk.

So let's pay tribute to the actors that decided to gamble it all on the black. Did it pay off, or did it all blow up in their faces?

When the Harry Potter golden trio finished their decade long contracts with Warner Bros., the whole world was watching to see what they would do next.

Of course, due to her sensational performance and the fact that she was the nation's favourite of the three, Watson seemed to be the one to watch. But then, shockingly, she decided to dip out of the spotlight for a while to gain an educatio - cinematic parallels anyone?

But eventually, the actress slowly made her way back to our screens, with indie flicks and teen romcoms. And once again, Emma Watson was a household name.

This led her to a fork in the road: Take a role in a live-action Disney movie, or sign on to a promising new project called La La Land with a critically loved director. Of course, we all know that Watson ended up taking on Disney's live-action Beauty And The Beast but at the time it must have been a very difficult decision.

Did the gamble pay off? Well, it's not that simple.

You see, in hindsight, both projects would have done a lot for her career. Beauty And The Beast performed extremely well at the box office and solidified Watson as a reliable actor in Hollywood. But La La Land may have led Emma on the path to critical success and may have even garnered her an Oscar.

So I guess it's up to you to decide if she made the right choice.