‘Jerry Maguire’: The famous Tom Cruise role that Woody Harrelson rejected
A lot of people seem to think that the entertainment industry is straightforward, but it’s not; it’s a plethora of sliding doors moments that are persistently making roles, franchises and stars. There is no set formula for success; if there were, then Hollywood would be making the same movie time and time again. Many of the film industry’s triumphs are sheer luck, and if you don’t believe this to be true, then keep reading.
Actors need a big breakout role to really get their start as major players in Hollywood. While Tom Cruise had already starred in many successful pictures prior to 1996, his role in Jerry Maguire cemented him as one of the best actors of the time. Given his career had been roughly a decade long at this point, there were question marks as to whether he would maintain his success or let it fall by the wayside.
His portrayal of the sports agent didn’t go unnoticed. The movie was a box office smash, filling cinemas worldwide and earning five Academy Award nominations. It showed people that Cruise was here to stay and saw him progress into even bigger roles afterwards.
However, cruise wouldn’t have gotten the part in Jerry Maguire had Woody Harrelson not previously turned down the role. This is what’s meant by a sliding-door moment, in that if Harrelson had taken up the role, firstly, he may not have performed as well as Cruise, and the movie might have struggled to take off, and secondly, Cruise might not have gone on to have the kind of career that he did.
“I was offered Jerry Maguire, and I said to Jim [James L. Brooks, one of the film’s producers], ‘Nobody is going to give a shit about an agent’,” said Harrelson. Of course, the irony was, people did give a shit, as the movie absolutely stormed out of the gates of the box office and is considered a colossal success.
This wouldn’t be the only time that Harrelson would tell his agent he isn’t interested in a role that would prove successful, as he almost turned down the Zombie horror Zombieland, which also ended up being a success. “My agent sent me the script, and I said, ‘Zombies, dude? Really? Has it come to this?’ And he said, ‘Will you please just read it?’ Finally, I did, and I’m like, ‘Damn. That’s good writing’.”
While it will undoubtedly be a shame for actors when they pass up on roles that end up being successful, it’s a big part of the industry and is necessary to pave the way for new big names. It is also often for the best, as by passing up roles, actors make way for others who would be more passionate about the role.
