Movie industry is a very competitive one. Although acting is a job that is quite glamorous, it’s still a job and people do get fired sometimes. Whatever the reason, the fact is that from time to time even big stars get replaced. Here are some A-listers who got fired from famous movies.

Ryan Gosling – The Lovely Bones

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ryan Gosling was selected to play the father in The Lovely Bones, even though he was initially concerned about looking too young for the part. Upon being hired, he gained 60 pounds by drinking melted haagen daas instead of water and grew a lot of facial hair in order to look older. He was replaced by Mark Wahlberg just before filming began because he didn’t have the “right look.” Apparently the director thought that he was too fat and decided it didn’t suit the character.

James Remar – Aliens

 

 

 

 

 

 

James Remar is best known to modern day audiences for his most recent role as Harry Morgan, a serial killer’s father in Dexter and Samantha’s love interest Richard Wright in love and the City. In 1985 he was cast as Corporal Hicks in the alien sequel Aliens directed by James Cameron but was fired from the film. The actor later admitted that he had a serious drug problem at the time and filming was hectic. James Cameron ended up firing him under “artistic differences”.

Christian Bale – American Psycho

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christian Bale was originally offered the role of Bateman but then the studio decided to go in a different direction. They hired Leonardo DiCaprio the role but he dropped out after the success of Titanic. The part was then offered to Ewan McGregor, but he turned it down after Bale asked him to. Finally the studio returned to Bale.

James Purefoy – V for Vendetta

 

 

 

 

 

 

James Purefoy was fired from V for Vendetta and replaced with Hugo Weaving. James claimed that there were too many creative differences, but the prevalent rumor is that he disliked wearing the mask throughout the whole film. Since he was fired 6 weeks into filming, the movie still has scenes with Purefoy, although Hugo Weaving’s voice was dubbed over.

Harvey Keitel – Apocalypse Now

 

 

 

 

 

 

Even though Martin Sheen was originally offered the role of Willard, he turned it down due to scheduling conflicts and Harvey Keitel landed the part. But a week into shooting, Francis Ford Coppola replaced Keitel with Sheen.

Eric Stoltz – Back To the Future

 

 

 

 

 

 

After five weeks of filming, Spielberg decided to replace Eric Stoltz with Michael J. Fox in the role of Marty McFly. Eric Stoltz played the part too seriously for the comedic spirit that Spielberg intended.

Stuart Townsend – Lord of the Rings

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just before the shooting started, Peter Jackson determined that Stuart Townsend was too young to play Aragorn. Viggo Mortensen stepped in for the rest of the franchise. Officially, his firing from the set came down to director-actor creative differences but Townsend said in several interviews, “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, I really don’t. The director wanted me and then apparently thought better of it because he really wanted someone 20 years older than me and completely different”.