Actors Who Turned Down ‘Star Wars’ Roles

It’s frustrating when an actor doesn’t win the role they had their eyes on, but it’s another thing entirely when an actor passes on a role in a movie that ends up becoming monstrously successful. Since time machines don’t exist, all one can really do is make peace with the fact that they made the best decision for them, at the time. Most of these actors don’t regret their choices to step away from these now-iconic movie roles, but a few still fondly wish they could have been a part of one of their favorite movies. Especially when those movies are Star Wars movies.

Before Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope launched the epic sci-fi franchise we know today, the movie was considered to be a gamble. Movie stars weren’t exactly flocking to George Lucas’ unconventional space flick, which led to the director taking a chance on some serious young talent. As the years went on, plenty of celebrities were approached to take roles in the Star Wars franchise — but for some reason or another, they didn’t work out.

Another reason an actor might turn down what seems like a great career move is because they simply want to pursue a different career move. Actors who are in demand — such as Leonardo DiCaprio — have to pick and choose their projects. After all, they can’t be two places at once. So although DiCaprio was being courted for the role of Anakin Skywalker, he couldn’t just jump into a lead role in another blockbuster picture. Similarly, Jodie Foster was wanted for the role of Princess Leia, but a scheduling conflict with the production for Taxi Driver prevented her from joining the Star Wars cast.

Below, learn about these high-profile actors who turned down iconic Star Wars roles. Some have learned to think nothing of it, while others regret their decisions, just a tiny bit.

10 Actors Who Turned Down Star Wars Roles