10 Actors Who Refused To Use CGI

Hearing about an actor not being entirely on board with a director's vision, a studio decision, or even a specific scene they're being asked to perform in isn't exactly breaking news. That's not to say their reasons for pushing back against what is being requested from them are all unjustifiable, but the odd thespian kicking their toys out of the pram has almost become an expected staple of the movie industry at this point.

However, what isn't as common to discover is the act of a performer outright refusing to play ball with the gurus behind the special effects we frequently see reinforcing big screen blockbusters and even smaller screen offerings in recent times. For the most part, these CGI tricks and tools can help heighten a star's performance and sometimes even make their jobs that much easier in the end. Yet, not everyone is in a rush to sign up for the full CGI experience.

Not wanting to take short cuts, being disgusted by the idea of turning their backs on all things practical, or even fearing that their abilities will be duplicated against their wishes are just a few of the unexpected reasons for these actors giving digital effects a hard no.

The sight of a deceased member of acting royalty being brought back from the grave or an older performer having the clock turned back via CGI wizardry has become increasingly common to see in recent times. Yet, with that has also come the increase in debate over whether or not it is ethical to further add to a performer's legacy after death or harness a VFX Time Stone of sorts to relive a star's glory days.

Sarah Paulson clearly feels that digitally turning back time isn't the way to go as evidenced by her comments on a proposed CGI Jack Nicholson being eventually introduced to her Netflix series Ratched. With the show looking destined to land Paulson's Nurse Mildred Ratched in the same era as One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, it's understandable why some folk would see the arrival of Randle Patrick McMurphy as the logical step to take.

But as Paulson put it when speaking to The Wrap, "I certainly don’t want to see me acting opposite a computer-generated Jack Nicholson. I mean, I don’t think that sounds like a good idea." So, don't expect to see this particular reunion go down on the small screen anytime soon.