10 Actors Who Must Regret Turning Down Major Movie Roles
6. Denzel Washington - Michael Clayton (Michael Clayton)
No guesswork needed here: Denzel Washington flat-out confirmed that he regrets turning down the title role in Tony Gilroy's Oscar-winning drama because he wasn't convinced about working with a first-time director. The role eventually went to George Clooney, who received a Best Actor nomination for his part.
Unlike a lot of actors on this list, though, Denzel has been consistently successful regardless, so it wouldn't have marked a huge turning point in his career at all, merely the chance to appear in a highly acclaimed movie and add another awards notch to his belt.
Would It Have Worked?: Without question. It's easy to imagine Deznel fitting the part like a glove, and he probably would've had his ninth Oscar nomination, filling the 11-year nomination gap he bad between 2002 and 2013.