The roles Michelle Pfeiffer regrets turning down: “I’m always wrong”
To become well-respected in the film industry, an actor has to deliver a strong performance in a good film – but how do they know if a movie is going to succeed or bomb? The script could be fantastic, the director could be a celebrated Hollywood figure, and the cinematographer might be able to make real-life look like an exquisite painting, but that still doesn’t guarantee success.
In reality, an actor will always have to gamble slightly when picking out roles. There have been so many occasions when actors have dedicated themselves wholeheartedly to a part, seeming certain that they’ll bag an Oscar nomination, but instead, the film has crashed and burned. Then, there are the times when actors have turned down roles, not convinced that the film will actually benefit them, and they’ve become classics. In some instances, actors have misunderstood scripts or disagreed with their content, unsure that they’d be right for the role.
Many actors also have to turn down roles due to scheduling conflicts, reluctantly having to pick between movies and gambling on which one would be the best decision for their careers. It’s all potluck at the end of the day, with some stars declining roles that would’ve elevated their careers even more.
Despite enjoying a successful career in movies like Scarface, The Age of Innocence, Batman Returns, and Dangerous Liaisons, Michelle Pfeiffer still feels she’s missed out on several incredible roles. It’s understandable; seeing a film you turned down become successful and highly revered must be difficult.
She initially signed on to Thelma and Louise, the 1990s road drama, which is now one of the most iconic movies of the decade. The film ended up starring Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis, but originally, the leading duo was made up of Pfeiffer and Jodie Foster. Pfeiffer even convinced Ridley Scott to direct the movie, finding the whole project very promising. In the end, pre-production just took too long to get off the ground, leading the pair to move on to other projects.
The scheduling conflict wasn’t an easy decision, with the actor once explaining, “I still can’t watch it … it still kills me.” Her almost-co-star Foster instead starred in The Silence of the Lambs, which earned her an Academy Award.
Yet, Pfeiffer was also offered this role by director Jonathan Demme. For the actor, appearing in a film that explored pure evil was an uncomfortable idea. She told The New Yorker how she “was trepidatious” when she read the script. Even though it would mean working with Demme for the second time, she wasn’t convinced on the subject matter.
“There was such evil in that film. It was that evil won in the end, that at the end of that film evil ruled out. I was uncomfortable with that ending. I didn’t want to put that out into the world,” she explained. After The Silence of the Lambs was released to high acclaim, becoming Demme’s biggest film, Pfeiffer was left wondering if she had made the wrong decision.
She once claimed (via The Irish Examiner), “I don’t have an innate commercial nous. I’m always wrong.” She might be right, considering that she has also turned down other huge hits in the past, such as Sleepless in Seattle and Pretty Woman.
