What the “Titanic” Movie Would Look Like If Some Actors Didn’t Miss Their Chance at the Audition

It’s interesting that when James Cameron started the production of Titanic, very few people believed that this project would be commercially successful. A 3-hour-long movie without Harrier jets, shoot-outs, and car chases didn’t seem promising enough for studio bosses. However, they were very interested in working with this director, so they approved this dubious project. They also approved the production budget of $200 million. But the next difficult task Cameron had to solve was to cast actors who would make a perfect acting ensemble.

Jack Dawson

Matthew McConaughey auditioned for the role of Jack. According to the actor, he was sure he got the role because his audition went really well. However, this never happened. Years later, Matthew was surprised to hear the rumors that he turned the role down himself.

Another actor, who auditioned for the role but lost, was Christian Bale. He even called Leonardo DiCaprio his sworn enemy. The fact is that the actors are the same age, and they have competed for roles many times. James Cameron didn’t choose Bale because of his British accent. But Christian paid his competitor back when landed the starring role in American Psycho where Leo was one of the favorites.

And Johnny Depp turned down the role of Jack himself. He read the script and didn’t find it interesting enough. At the time, the actor was very popular and turned down many roles that became iconic later.

Many actors, who were popular in the late 1990s, tried out for the role of Jack. It’s interesting that they all had different types of appearances. For example, Tom Cruise and Macaulay Culkin could have played Jack too. And it’s hard to find less contrasting personalities.

Brad Pitt was also among the candidates for the starring role. At the time, he bathed in the rays of glory and was praised by critics thanks to the movie 12 Monkeys he starred in. Another candidate was Jared Leto. In the 1990s, he was at the beginning of his acting career but managed to appear in a few famous movies.

But still, Leonardo DiCaprio was the most convincing during the audition. By the way, Cameron even had to persuade the actor to play in his movie. Later, the director recalled, “He read it once, then started goofing around, and I could never get him to focus on it again. But for one split second, a shaft of light came down from the heavens and lit up the forest.”

Rose DeWitt Bukater

In the 1990s, Uma Thurman was among the brightest Hollywood stars thanks to the success of the movie Pulp Fiction. And even though she didn’t get the role of Rose, she starred in the movies Gattaca and Batman & Robin that same year. Who knows, maybe Titanic could have become her biggest success. But everything happens for a good reason. A few years later, Thurman played her iconic role in Kill Bill.

At the time when Brad Pitt was considered for the role of Jack, his then-wife Jennifer Aniston became a potential candidate for the role of Rose. However, it’s worth mentioning that Cameron looked at almost all famous young actresses.

Winona Ryder could have played Rose too because she and Depp made up a beautiful on-screen couple in the movie Edward Scissorhands. By the way, there was another Depp’s co-star who was considered for the role of Rose. It was Angelina Jolie.

The casting for the role of Rose was massive and included such A-listers as Nicole Kidman, Charlize Theron, Madonna, Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Connelly, Rachel Weisz, and Kate Beckinsale. They were not approved for various reasons.

But there was an actress who decided to get the role no matter the cost. It was Kate Winslet. When she read the script, she wept floods of tears, and then she got Cameron’s phone number and called him begging him to cast her. It seems that Winslet’s words “I just have to do this, and you are really mad if you don’t cast me” impressed the director, and Kate got what she dreamed of.

Elderly Rose

When the time came to find an actress for the role of elderly Rose, Cameron searched for her among retired actresses from the Golden Age of Hollywood. At first, Fay Wray, who starred in the 1933 King Kong, was his favorite. But when the director saw Gloria Stuart, he immediately realized she was the one. There was a connection between her spirit and Winslet’s spirit. By the way, Stuart was much younger than her character, so makeup artists had to work hard to make her look like a 101-year-old lady.

Caledon Hockley

Matthew McConaughey was also considered for the role of Caledon Hockley but didn’t get it. The list of potential actors to play Rose’s fiancé included Rob Lowe, Pierce Brosnan, Rupert Everett, and Hugh Grant. But it was Billy Zane who eventually landed it. And he was definitely a very good choice. After the movie was released, the actor was nominated for a few awards including an MTV Movie Award nomination for “Best Villain.”

Molly Brown

The character of Molly Brown is loved by many Kathy Bates fans. But Molly Brown could have been portrayed by another actress. The director’s first choice was country music singer Reba McEntire. And the singer agreed to take on the role. But the start of the production was rescheduled a few times, and eventually, Reba had to go on a tour that she couldn’t cancel. This was how Kathy Bates got a chance to play “The Unsinkable Molly Brown,” and she was great in it.

Cora

Lindsay Lohan rose to fame when she was still a child. But she could have made her debut in movies even earlier because she was considered for the role of Cora, the daughter of poor parents who traveled third class. However, Lohan’s red hair worked against her. The fact is that Rose and her mother were also red-haired. So, Cameron thought it would be best to cast a girl with brown locks.

Bonus: What one of the most famous movie scenes would look like if Titanic starred different actors.

What actors would you cast for the roles of Rose and Jack? Share your opinion in the comments below.