8 Actors Who Quit Movies Because Of Seconds Of Footage
5. Bette Midler Couldn't Handle The Hobbling Scene - Misery
Nobody who has watched Rob Reiner's Misery will ever forgot the infamous "hobbling" scene, in which obsessive, deranged fan Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates) breaks the ankles of author Paul Sheldon (James Caan) with a sledgehammer to prevent him from escaping her clutches.
The controversial scene caused many actors in talks to play both Annie and Paul to exit the project, including Warren Beatty and perhaps most notably Bette Midler, who was straight-up offered the role of Annie and turned it down due to the graphically violent outcome of this scene.
Upon reflecting that the part ultimately won Kathy Bates a Best Actress Oscar and made her an overnight star, Midler called herself "stupid" for turning it down. Though Midler has two Oscar nominations to her name to date, she hasn't ever managed to win one outright.