10 Actors Who Turned Down 2014’s Biggest Movies

9. Colin Firth Consciously Uncoupled From Paddington

He was approved by the author himself; "he€™s a huge Paddington fan and I think he€™s got quite a bit of Paddington in himself. His voice certainly has a warmth and depth to it that is rather bear-like", said Paddington Bear creator Michael Bond of Colin Firth, the man first chosen to voice the titular bear in Paul King's live action take, Paddington. Firth even stuck with the project right past filming and into the voice recording stage, but it was him who decided someone younger would be a better fit, eventually stating, "After a period of denial we€™ve chosen €˜conscious uncoupling€™". According to co-star Hugh Bonneville, "Once they started animating the bear they saw they were coming further apart". The much younger Ben Whishaw - who initially refused - was drafted in to replace Firth. The film went on to be one of the biggest hits in British film last year, but Firth can take comfort in the knowledge that director King considers him, "the most beautiful chocolate-voiced man on the planet".