Did you know that the iconic role of Cher Horowitz that made Alicia Silverstone a star was initially offered to Buffy Summers Sarah Michelle Gellar? SMG had to turn down Clueless due to the contract role she had in All My Children. Imagine how the priceless quotes from Cher would sound like now if Gellar had engraved them into cult classic history! Find out what other actors turned down popular roles or almost had them in the bag after the jump.


Guess who this is? Stuart Townsend as Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Weeks into playing the fellowship member, Townsend’s gig was interrupted as director Peter Jackson decided to go with an older gentleman for the part. In the end, Viggo Mortensen nabbed the final say for the regal ranger Aragorn.

I have to say that Viggo Mortensen is more close to how I pictured Aragorn from the books. Now I’m wondering if it would have made a difference if Jackson had kept Townsend for the part.

Check out the gallery to see which of your favorite roles were almost attained by other actors.

Do you think that the featured replacements were the right decisions? What if the original castings made the final cut? Would the movies or roles seem that different to you?

[via NBC Miami]