10 Movie Roles Originally Intended For Other Actors
1. John Travolta – Forrest Gump In Forrest Gump
If you look back at Tom Hanks' career, it's easy to see that he was a huge star pretty much from the get-go. From starring in the show Bosom Buddies to headlining films like Bachelor Party and Big, Hanks pretty much owned the 1980s. Moving into the '90s wasn't hard for him either, and he starred in a number of hits.
Among them was Forrest Gump, a role that seemed to be written just for him. He was so monumentally good in the part, he won the Academy Award for Best Actor for the second year in a row.
There was another actor with a long career who made something of a comeback in 1992, who was also considered for the role of Forrest Gump. John Travolta was picked over Hanks as the man who would be best suited to play Gump, but he turned it down when they offered it to him.
Hanks wasn't even the studio's second choice. They also approached Bill Murray and Chevy Chase before finally landing on Hanks. Years later, Travolta was asked about passing on the part, and he indicated it was one of the biggest mistakes he made throughout his career. Given the success of the film, it's hard to argue that point with him.