10 Actors Who Rightly Turned Down Iconic Roles
9. Emma Watson - Mia (La La Land)
Emma Stone’s role as Mia in La La Land will forever be iconic, if for nothing more than the fact the envelope containing her Oscar win was mistakenly reused for Best Picture, leading to Warren Beatty incorrectly announcing that La La Land had won the award. It eventually went to Moonlight, although no one seems to remember that.
That all may have been avoided if the Emma originally offered the role, Emma Watson, had taken the part. Not that Watson definitely wouldn’t have secured an Oscar win, but based on their careers so far it appears Watson is a bigger box office draw while Stone has displayed more talent.
Not just in La La Land, but projects like The Help, Maniac and Birdman.
Watson’s reasons for turning Mia down seem reasonable enough. After several months practising her horse riding and singing for Beauty & The Beast, Watson didn’t want to pick up another rehearsal and routine heavy role at the same time.
La La Land was hugely hyped upon release, and like many films its reception has since been soured, either because of oversaturation or just because it failed to live up to that hype. Still, it’s an iconic movie in its own right.