10 Actors Who Got Fired From Roles Of A Life Time
8. Natalie Portman - Juliet (Romeo + Juliet)
Baz Luhrmann's whacky modernised take on Shakespeare's most tragic tale turned a world onto the rising star Leonardo DiCaprio. It also gave Claire Danes her first shot in a leading role at the young age of 16. Leo was in his early 20s when he took on the role, which might make some uncomfortable, considering what the two character got up to. But if the studio had gone with their first choice for Juliet, things would have been way creepier.
The 13 year old Natalie Portman had proven herself to be one hell of an actor in Léon: The Professional (1994), so much so the Baz Luhrmann's was keen to snap her up to play the role of Juliet. She originally landed the gig when she was just 14. Needles to say, early footage left the studio feeling a little uneasy, given the romantic interactions between the 20 something year old Leo and the 14 year old Portman.
Of course, the decision to replace Portman didn't hurt her career, and it was certainly a wise move on the studio's part.