9 Lead Actors Who Were Fired From Movies

2. Stuart Townsend - The Lord Of The Rings

Reason For Termination: Not Old Enough

Choosing the right cast members for The Lord of the Rings was essential. Considering the insane amount of time, effort, and money that was being put into the soon-to-be blockbuster trilogy, one poor casting decision might have cost the studio millions of dollars and soured Peter Jackson's reputation.

Unfortunately, Jackson didn't quite get them all right the first time around. His first choice for the role of Aragorn, 29-year-old Stuart Townsend (who's best known as Dorian Gray in The League Of Extraordinary Gentleman), was recast after the director later decided Townsend wasn't old enough to play the part convincingly.

Accounts differ as to the exact day Townsend was relieved of his duties, but the young actor remembers it like this;

"I was there rehearsing and training for two months, then was fired the day before filming began. After that I was told they wouldn't pay me because I was in breach of contract due to not having worked long enough. I had been having a rough time with them, so I was almost relieved to be leaving until they told me I wouldn't be paid. I have no good feelings for those people in charge."