Casting is a vital part in making a movie work; it doesnt matter if it has a great script or director, if the cast is wrong it can ruin the whole thing. This can even happen to big name stars, especially when theyre cast for their stardom instead of their suitability for a part. So while a name actor being fired from a high-profile movie is rare, it does happen. There are a few potential reasons for this; they clash with the director, they argue over their salary or maybe their personal lives start affecting their work. Whenever this happens it isn't pretty, as their departure often casts a cloud over the resulting movie. Here are a few examples of name actors being cast for a role with great fanfare, only to suddenly bow out in the name of creative differences. (aka they were totally fired)
11. Jean-Claude Van Damme - Predator
No your eyes dont deceive you, that really is Jean-Claude Van Damme on the set of Predator. The future action star was an unknown martial artist when he was cast in the title role, though things didnt work out smoothly for him. He thought he was being hired for his action skills and would be given lots of screentime; instead he was basically a stuntman running around in a red leotard. When the movie was originally shot a completely different and amazingly terrible Predator outfit was used. Poor Jean-Claude had to wear the ridiculous looking thing, which had a large reptilian head that cut off his eyesight, making him bump and trip over things constantly. The heat of the Mexican jungle didn't help his mood either. Why He Was Fired: A combination of the suit looking terrible as well as Van Damme constantly complaining about it. The film shut down so the suit could be redesigned, with Van Damme being replaced by another actor during the process. It wasnt a total waste of time for Jean-Claude, as he got his SAG card as a result of working on the movie.
