Without a doubt, Steven Spielberg is one of the greatest Hollywood directors of all time. One of the things you may not know about Spielberg, however, is that he came from humble beginnings, starting out as an intern for Universal Studios before going on to produce and direct some of Hollywood’s most successful movies - some said to be underrated while others are overrated.
Over the years, Spielberg has also collaborated with several A-list actors who would love to do another film with him. Meanwhile, the director also encountered some great actors who turned down being in his films.
Worked With Him: Richard Dreyfuss
Dreyfuss was among the actors that Spielberg worked with early on in his career. Their collaboration first began with Jaws, one of Spielberg’s earliest hits. Shooting this film was particularly memorable for him because he had quite the near-death experience on the set while filming the scene where his character, Hooper, stays in an underwater cage to look at sharks.
“The winch went [buckling noise] and the cage fell,” Dreyfuss told Yahoo! Entertainment. “I was caught inside the cage, mask is gone, the breathing apparatus is gone.” Despite this, the actor went on to star in two other Spielberg movies.
Turned Him Down: Cuba Gooding Jr.
There was a time when Gooding was one of the most successful actors in Hollywood, starring in films such as Jerry Maguire, As Good as It Gets, and Men of Honor. And so, when Spielberg approached him for his film, Amistad, the actor decided right away that he didn’t want anything to do with it.
According to Gawker, Gooding once recalled, “I said, 'It's a slave role; show me the money. I'm such a big thing,' and he goes, 'I can direct you.' and I said, 'No, I have to pass.'”
Worked With Him: Jeff Goldblum
Goldblum famously worked with Spielberg in Jurassic Park and The Lost World: Jurassic Park. In both films, Goldblum played mathematician Dr. Ian Malcolm, a character who is responsible for one of Goldblum’s most iconic movie quotes. Unbeknownst to many, however, Goldblum’s character was nearly cut from the franchise.
While speaking with ET, the actor recalled, “You know, the screenplay won’t include your character from the book.” Fortunately, Goldblum managed to convince Spielberg to retain Dr. Malcolm. In the end, Jurassic Park also became one of Goldblum’s best movies.
Turned Him Down: Robert Duvall
The veteran actor is known for films such as The Godfather films, The Scarlett Letter, and To Kill a Mockingbird. According to Duvall, Spielberg had gotten in touch with him about playing Chief Brody in Jaws but the actor turned it down. However, it wasn’t because he didn’t want to work on the film.
“I wanted to play the other guy,” Duvall told Ain’t It Cool News. “I wanted to play the Portuguese fisherman, but I was too young.” The two haven’t tried to collaborate again since then although there may always be something in the works behind the scenes.
Worked With Him: Tom Cruise
Cruise first collaborated with Spielberg on the 2002 action film Minority Report, which is rated as one of the actor’s best movies, according to Rotten Tomatoes. What’s interesting about this collaboration is that Cruise found out about the project first and decided to show it to Spielberg.
Cruise’s reason for doing this is simple. He told CNN, “I've been wanting to work with him - who doesn't want to work with Steven Spielberg?” Luckily for Cruise, Spielberg was interested. Meanwhile, after Minority Report, the two also worked together again in the 2005 film War of the Worlds.
Turned Him Down: Tom Selleck
While the first Indiana Jones film was still in development, Spielberg was considering another actor to play the central character. And it turns out that he and George Lucas both thought that the part should go to Selleck. However, there appeared to be a conflict.
“Steven Spielberg and George Lucas said you got the part. And I said, 'Well, I've done this pilot, and I don't know whether it's a conflict,’” Selleck explained on the Rachael Ray Show. “And then it was Magnum [P.I.].” Later on, the actor learned that he could have done both roles.
Worked With Him: Harrison Ford
Ford famously worked with Spielberg on the Indiana Jones movie franchise, all of which are among Ford’s highest-earning films. As you know, Ford portrayed the titular character, which some regard as the best role the actor ever had. This might also explain why Ford doesn’t like the idea of passing the role to another actor.
In fact, when it was rumored that Shia LaBeouf would take over the role in 2010, Ford told Time, “Shia can get his own hat. I earned that hat.” Ford is starring in the upcoming Indiana Jones 5, although Spielberg is not directing.
Turned Him Down: Liam Neeson
After working with Neeson on Schindler's List, Spielberg approached him years later for the lead role in the 2012 film Lincoln. And while he may have initially considered doing the movie, Neeson realized he couldn’t play the role during a reading. “I thought, ‘I’m not supposed to be here. This is gone,” Neeson recalled while speaking with GQ.
“Afterward, Steven came over, and I said, ‘Steven, you have to recast this now…’” The part eventually went to Daniel Day Lewis, who won an Oscar for his performance in the film.
Worked With Him: Tom Hanks
Hanks has certainly become Spielberg’s most frequent collaborator over the years. They first worked together on the 1998 classic Saving Private Ryan where Hanks and his co-stars (including Vin Diesel and Matt Damon) had to undergo a military boot camp to prepare for their roles.
Following this, Hanks went on to star in four other Spielberg films, including Catch Me If You Can, The Terminal, Bridge of Spies, and The Post. While working on The Post, Hanks’ co-star, Bob Odenkirk, also told Indie Wire that Hanks became Spielberg’s acting coach for the rest of the cast.
Turned Him Down: Javier Bardem
Today, Bardem is known for his critically acclaimed performances in films such as Before Night Falls, Biutiful, and No Country for Old Men, for which he won an Oscar. Hence, it’s no surprise that Spielberg would want to work with the Spanish actor.
However, when Spielberg came to him with the idea of playing Danny Witwer in Minority Report, Bardem couldn’t envision himself in the role. While speaking with GQ, the actor explained, “I don't see myself running on roofs.” That part eventually went to Colin Farrell.