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Burt Reynolds, the Oscar-nominated actor, remained active until he died in 2018 and starred in many movies and TV shows. He first rose to prominence by starring in TV series likeGunsmoke(1962–1965),Hawk(1966), andDan August(1970–1971).
The actor also played leading roles in films such asNavajo Joe(1966) and100 Rifles(1969), but his breakthrough role was inDeliverance(1972), in which he played Lewis Medlock.
Reynolds was like a magnet for job offers because he was so famous. Believe it or not, he even had to say “no” to a bunch of them. But later, he regretted some roles he passed on.
Also read:“Came back as a stumbling old nude man”: Burt Reynolds Hated $46M Movie More Than He Did Mark Wahlberg’s Boogie Nights That Gave Him Oscar Nod
Burt Reynolds’ Regrets Turning DownJames BondRole
Burt Reynoldssays he regrets turning down the role of James Bond in 1970. He went onGood Morning Americato chat about his book,But Enough About Me —where he said he was offered the role but gave it a pass following his debut inOn Her Majesty’s Secret Servicein 1969.
“I think I could have done it well.”
The star refusedJames Bondafter Sean Connery retired as 007. Reynolds told producer Cubby Broccoli that an American couldn’t play Bond because“the public won’t accept it.”But in the interview, he expressed his regrets and said Daniel Craig didn’t impress him as James Bond. He said toUSA Todayin 2015:
“It was a stupid thing to say, I could’ve done it and I could’ve done it well. Of those who have played the spy, Daniel Craig’s a good actor, but I just find him a little too serious. Ironically, the guy who had the least amount of success in it was the best: Roger Moore. He had been ordering that martini before the picture was ever made.”
So, after Reynolds passed on the role, producers Albert Broccoli and Harry Saltzman returned to the OG James Bond, Sean Connery, who agreed to play 007 again (for a sixth time) inDiamonds Are Forever(1971). Connery was paid a hefty paycheck, a cool $1.25 million — a massive deal back then.
Also read:“I remember I was down on my knees”: James Bond Star Sean Connery’s Terrifying Presence Petrified ‘Explosive’ Michael Bay as He Failed to Give Direction Out of Fear
Other Iconic Roles That Burt Reynolds Missed BesidesJames Bond
Burt Reynolds also missed an iconic role that made the franchise a mega-hit for years. He said no to being Han Solo inStar Warsin 1977. But he toldBusiness Insiderin 2016:
“I just didn’t want to play that kind of role at the time.”
The actor didn’t stop there. He continued smacking himself over passing on roles like Jack Nicholson’s parts inOne Flew Over the Cuckoo’s NestandTerms of Endearmentand even Richard Gere’s part inPretty Woman. On refusing the roles, he told in the same conversation withUSA Today:
“They all would’ve changed my career, without a doubt. I would’ve been offered all kinds of roles. You know, how much can you do in a Smokey and the Bandit?”
These roles could have been golden tickets in Burt Reynolds’ career, but despite this, the star never had any serious regrets when he looked back on his life.
Also read:“I just thought about that for a minute”: James Bond Director Had One Hesitation With Casting Daniel Craig That Might Have Worked in Favor of Henry Cavill in $616M Movie
Source:Good Morning America,Business Insider,USA Today
Shreya Jha
Articles Published :1042
Meet Shreya, FandomWire’s go-to Pop-Culture Writer. She holds a master’s degree in Journalism and a pop culture obsession that rivals even the most die-hard ‘Star Wars’ and Marvel fans.Her articles have been published in Animated Times, Creator Mail, and The Luxxe Mag. When Shreya’s not busy dishing out hot takes, she is lost in the world of rom-coms.
