8 Actors Who Seriously Regret Turning Down Iconic Movie Roles
5. Denzel Washington - David Mills (Se7en)
David Fincher's Se7en is one of the best and most brilliant films of the '90s; an intensely dark and cynical serial killer flick that brings new meaning to the world "nihilistic." It also features wonderful, career-best performances from Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman, who play a rookie cop and his veteran partner on the tail of a sick and twisted murderer.
Now, what you might have assumed here is that Denzel Washington was originally offered Morgan Freeman's part, given that they're both African American. Well, you'd be wrong: Washington was actually offered the part of David Mills, the role assumed by Brad Pitt in the film - and it's one he seriously regrets turning down:
I turned down the movie Se7en. That was a mistake. I just didnt think anybody was going to see it. I dont know what I made instead, I cant remember, but I turned Se7en down. I guess Brad Pitt is happy about that."
So could there have been a version of Se7en featuring Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman as two African American detectives? In all likelihood, no: Freeman's character, William Somerset, wasn't written to be black in the original script - he was changed when Freeman became interested in the role (also the case with The Shawshank Redemption).
Still, it would have made for a completely different film had Denzel agreed to the part and another actor had been positioned as Somerset.