From Lisa Kudrow to Ryan Gosling, Hollywood's biggest stars have faced unexpected setbacks and been replaced in some of the most beloved TV shows and films. Here are the surprising reasons why these actors were fired from major roles.
Lisa Kudrow, best known for her role as Phoebe Buffay on "Friends," revealed that she was originally cast as Roz Doyle on "Frasier." However, she was "fired" from the gig before its pilot episode due to chemistry issues with the group. Director James Burrows decided to swap her for Peri Gilpin. Kudrow later went on to land her iconic role in "Friends."
Surprising Reasons Why Stars Were Fired From Major Roles
Maura Tierney was forced to drop out of "Parenthood" due to a breast cancer diagnosis. The show's production schedule conflicted with her treatments. Lauren Graham, who had just finished "Gilmore Girls," stepped in and portrayed the role of Sarah for six seasons.
John Posey was initially cast as the Tanner family patriarch in "Full House." However, when Saget's commitment to another show ended, executives snapped him up and quickly fired Posey. The pilot episode with Posey never aired.
Surprising Reasons Why Stars Were Fired From Major Roles
Alex Borstein was unable to portray Sookie St. James due to a contract conflict with "MAD TV." The part ended up going to Melissa McCarthy, who became a beloved character on the show for all seven seasons.
Amanda Walsh was originally slated to play Penny, but the character was not well-received in the first pilot. Executives realized the show had potential and brought in Kaley Cuoco. Walsh was too young for the role at the time, but she auditioned again later and landed the part.
Surprising Reasons Why Stars Were Fired From Major Roles
Ryan Gosling gained 60 pounds for his role as Jack Salmon in "The Lovely Bones." However, the production team had a different idea of how the character should look. Gosling said, "We had a different idea of how the character should look... We didn’t talk very much during the pre-production process, which was the problem. I just showed up on set, and I had gotten it wrong." Mark Wahlberg was brought in to replace Gosling.
Eric Stoltz briefly played Marty McFly in "Back To The Future." However, he was fired after a few weeks because production felt his reading was too intense. Michael J. Fox was then brought in as his replacement.
Surprising Reasons Why Stars Were Fired From Major Roles
Ted Danson was originally cast as bartender Sam Malone in "Cheers." However, when Paramount refused to let NBC show Danson's buttocks on television, executives hired Woody Harrelson instead.
Amy Poehler auditioned for "SNL" in 2001. However, she was one of the last cuts before the final cast was chosen. Tina Fey was brought in as her replacement and went on to become a star on the show.
Surprising Reasons Why Stars Were Fired From Major Roles
Charlie Sheen was fired from "Two and a Half Men" in 2011 due to his erratic behavior and drug abuse. Ashton Kutcher was brought in as his replacement.
These are just a few examples of the many surprising reasons why celebrities have been fired from major roles. It's a tough business, and even the most successful actors face setbacks along the way. But as these stories show, it's possible to overcome rejection and go on to achieve great things.
Surprising Reasons Why Stars Were Fired From Major Roles
