11 Actors Who Turned Down Major Television Roles

Television history dates back much earlier than you probably think it does. In 1928, television’s first drama was broadcast from Schenectady. New York beamed to Philo Farnsworth’s “dissector tube”, a device that would go on to be a vital piece of the television. Nearly 100 years later, television is now a part of most people’s everyday lives. Long gone are the days of NBC, CBS, and ABC ruling the airwaves as people have access to hundreds, if not thousands, of curated television stations to choose from.

This attachment we have to television shows starts and ends with the iconic characters that have been dreamed up over the years. They may be ones we identify or fall in love with, or despise and root against. Actors often become synonymous with the characters they play on television. However, in another timeline somewhere in the multiverse, these iconic characters have different faces. We explore 11 actors who turned down major television roles.

11 Matt LeBlanc as Phil Dunphy – Modern Family

Phil Dunphy is now considered to be one of the most recognizable and hilarious TV dads of all time. Played by Ty Burrell in the hit comedy series Modern Family. The show would run for 11 seasons between 2009-2020, winning 22 Emmy Awards along the way. Exploring modern-day themes and issues experienced by families around the world, the show was able to tap into the viewers’ emotions by being hilariously authentic. While it is hard to imagine Burrell not playing Phil, the show almost went for an actor who would always be there for you.

The Role Eventually Went to Ty Burrell and Matt LeBlanc Would Remain Known for the Iconic Character of Joey Tribbiani

Before Ty Burrell was cast in the now-famous role, Matt LeBlanc was circling the part of Phil Dunphy. LeBlanc is, of course, famous for portraying the lovable Joey Tribbiani on the iconic comedy series Friends. The actor turned down the role, feeling as though he could not do it justice, while having a lingering feeling that the role may have been written for someone other than himself. His suspicions would prove to me accurate, as the creators of Modern Family would eventually come out saying that Burrell was always their preferred choice. Stream on Hulu.

10 Katie Holmes as Piper Chapman – Orange Is the New Black

Along with House of Cards, Orange is the New Black would be one of the first original series produced by Netflix, debuting on the streaming service in 2013. The show is a comedy-drama based on author Piper Kerman’s experiences in a minimum security federal prison. The series follows the lives of a group of female prisoners and the time they spend together behind bars. The main focus of the series is a fictionalized version of Piper herself, with the majority of the series revolving around her.

Katie Holmes Was Almost Piper

While it would have certainly been interesting to see Katie Holmes in an orange jumpsuit after years of her being known as the sweet Joey Potter in Dawson’s Creek, it also would have been somewhat jarring. Due to a collection of unknowns surrounding Orange is the New Black, as well as an already full schedule, Holmes would turn down the chance to play the lead of Piper, with the role eventually going to Taylor Schilling. Thanks to the enormous success of the series, Schilling would go on to be nominated for a Golden Globe and an Emmy Award for her portrayal of Piper. Stream on Netflix.

9 Jason Biggs as Ted Mosby – How I Met Your Mother

How I Met Your Mother started off as a brilliant sitcom in the fall of 2005 before fizzling out as a disappointment for a lot of fans in the spring of 2014. Focusing on a group of five friends living in New York City, we learn, laugh, and cry with Jason Segel’s Marshall Eriksen, Cobie Smulders’ Robin Scherbatsky, Neil Patrick Harris’ Barney Stinson, Alyson Hannigan’s Lily Aldrin, and Josh Radnor’s Ted Mosby.

The last of which is the main focus, as the series centers around an older Ted telling his children the story of how he met their mother. Ted, at most times, was a love-drunk, hopeless romantic searching for his soulmate in the ever-turbulent world of being single in New York City.

This Would Have Been Jason Biggs’ Biggest Role

Jason Biggs burst into pop culture conciseness as Jim Levenstein in the hit teen comedy, American Pie. The pie-loving Biggs certainly possesses the love-drunk qualities that we see from Ted Mosby throughout How I Met Your Mother. Having been offered the role of Ted, Biggs turned it down at the time to explore other avenues in his career. Speaking during an interview on The Covino & Rich Show in 2021, Biggs would disclose that turning down the part was one of the biggest regrets in his career. Stream on Hulu.

Related: How I Met Your Mother: Funniest Storylines, Ranked

8 Maya Rudolph as Eve – Killing Eve

The British spy thriller Killing Eve debuted on BBC America in 2018. The show would bring the high-stakes espionage thriller normally seen on the big screen to televisions around the world. While superb acting performances helped carry the show, a brilliant room of female writers throughout the series elevated it to new heights. A writers’ room that featured the talents of Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Emerald Fennell, Suzanne Heathcote, and Laura Neal. Eve Polastri would cement herself as one of the top fictional spy characters in history.

From SNL to Killing Eve

Sandra Oh would go on to knock it out of the park as Eve Polastri in Killing Eve in one of the best performances of the actor’s career. She would win a Critic’s Choice and a Golden Globe Award for her role, while also being nominated for six Emmy Awards. While Maya Rudolph certainly would have added a different element to the role coming from her comedy background, Sandra Oh certainly proved her worth in the role. Rudolph would turn down the role due to family commitments at the time, and the rest is history. Stream on AMC+.

7 Rob Lowe as Derek Shepherd – Grey’s Anatomy

Grey’s Anatomy is certainly turning into this millennia’s Law and Order, as the show seemingly will not die. Premiering in 2005, the series is set to begin its 20th season in the spring of 2024. Known for its endless roster of good-looking doctors, one of the originals was Patrick Dempsey’s Derek Shepherd. “McDreamy”, as he would be known, lasted all the way through the 11th season before dying in a fatal car accident. However, the role of Shepherd almost went to another actor who built his fame throughout the 1980s.

From Rob Lowe to Patrick Dempsey

Have you ever heard of the short-lived series Dr. Vegas? Probably not. This would be the series that Rob Lowe chose to do after turning down the role of Derek Shepherd for Grey’s Anatomy. While Dempsey would go on to be synonymous with Shepherd, Lowe would have his fair share of iconic television characters as well. Sam Seaborn on The West Wing and Chris Traeger on Parks and Recreation would firmly cement the actor as a true fixture of some of television’s finest shows. Stream on Netflix.

6 Courteney Cox as Rachel Green – Friends

Friends is one of the most successful television series in history and beloved by millions, two-plus decades after its series finale. What helped make the show such a hit is the undeniable chemistry between the actors on the series as they lived, laughed, loved, and cried together throughout the show’s 10-year run. The character of Rachel Green, in particular, is one that is many fans’ favorite, thanks to her girl-next-door demeanor and, at times, her lovable quirkiness. Most fans probably do not know that we almost saw a completely different Rachel played by a familiar Friends face.

Courteney Cox Shifted to Monica, and Jennifer Aniston Took the Role of Rachel

An actor going for one role while ultimately landing another on the same project is not something new in Hollywood. Quite frankly, it happens quite often. When Friends was coming together, Courteney Cox auditioned for her and was primed to take on the role of Rachel. It was Cox herself who felt that Monica was a better fit for her, and boy was she right. Both Aniston and Cox would go on to knock it out of the park as their respected characters, creating an iconic television legacy for both actors. Stream on MAX.

5 Macaulay Culkin as Leonard Hofstadter – The Big Bang Theory

Chuck Lorre is responsible for some of the biggest comedy sitcoms in television history, including Dharma & Greg, Two and a Half Men, and, of course, The Big Bang Theory. The last of which may very well be his crowning achievement as a series creator; it is certainly his most popular. The series follows a foursome of nerdy adult men and their neighbor Penny, as they traverse through life. The series’ primary focus would be on the character of Leonard Hofstadter, played by child-actor-grown-up, Johnny Galecki. Leonard almost took on the face of a different child actor.

Macaulay Culkin Almost Had the Role

Macaulay Culkin is not shy when speaking about why he turned down the role of Leonard. It boils down to his lack of interest in portraying the character. In an interview with Joe Rogan, Culkin revealed that the initial pitch to him essentially boiled down to “Alright, these two astrophysicist nerds and a pretty girl lives with them. Yoinks!”. Certainly not a deeply layered pitch for an actor, and one that tracks with what many detractors of the show use as criticism. To this day, Culken remains well known for his role as Kevin McCallister in the Home Alone series. Stream on MAX.

4 Paul Giamatti as Michael Scott – The Office

After a bumpy first season and doubts of long-term survival, The Office would skyrocket into television and pop culture history forever. Featuring a cast of unforgettable characters, the show would become one of the most successful series of all time. Leading the way was everybody’s favorite cringe-worthy, and dare we say, intelligent boss, Michael Scott. He would anchor the series for seven seasons before departing in 2011. While many high-profile names auditioned for Scott in the beginning, one particular name stands out as the most interesting in the bunch.

Paul Giamatti Went on to Do Great Roles

There used to be a stigma in Hollywood where movie actors did not do television and vice versa. Nowadays, it is not uncommon to see high profile film and TV actors cross mediums. Several high-profile actors were considered for the role of Michael Scott, including Paul Giamatti. It was that unwritten Hollywood rule that led to the actor turning down the offer to play Michael Scott, and the rest is history. Steve Carell is now best known for his role as Michael, and Giamatti went on to have an incredibly successful career as a character actor. Stream on Peacock.

3 Natasha Lyonne as Buffy Summers – Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Buffy the Vampire Slayer introduced a whole generation to the world of vampires and grunge music, thanks to now-controversial creator, Joss Whedon. The series is a television reimagining of the 1990s film of the same name, starring Kristy Swanson. Buffy Summers, the one vampire slayer of her generation, would go down as one of the most popular female heroes in the history of television. While the iconic role would be filled by a relatively unknown actor at the time, a child star from the ’90s nearly took on the slayer.

Natasha Lyonne Would Have Been a Great Choice

Natasha Lyonne had the role of Buffy Summers in her hands, as she was slated to become the slayer before the then-16-year-old actor turned down the role stating she did not want to commit to a lengthy series at such a young age, an admirable move in the face of pressure from her agent and parents. Sarah Michelle Gellar would go on to play Buffy for seven seasons and cement her legacy as the character. Lyonne would star in a handful of films as a supporting actor before leading her own series as Nadia Vulvokov in the successful Netflix series, Russian Doll. Stream on Hulu.

Related: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Most Essential Episodes to Watch, Ranked

2 Matthew Broderick as Walter White – Breaking Bad

The hit drama Breaking Bad, created by Vince Gilligan, would help launch an avalanche of successful series for the AMC network. The story of the cancer-sick chemistry teacher transforming into the meth kingpin of the Southwest was a captivating tale, woven by Gilligan and the writers of the show throughout five uber-popular seasons. By the end of the series in 2013, Walter White had become a household name, even to those unfamiliar with the show.

It Isn’t Known Why Broderick Turned Down the Role

It is well known that executives at AMC were hesitant about Bryan Cranston taking on the role of Walter White, one that would be quickly removed as the show became a success. It is Matthew Broderick who paved the way for Cranston to step in as the high-profile actor known for Ferris Bueller and a successful stage career would turn down the groundbreaking role. To this day, it is unknown just why Broderick turned down the part, and the actor has never publicly commented on it. Stream on Netflix.

1 Danny DeVito as George Costanza – Seinfeld

Considered by many to be the greatest comedy series of all time, Seinfeld has taken on a life of its own in the decades following its finale. An iconic foursome of selfish characters ruled the comedy airwaves on NBC throughout the 1990s. Perhaps the most selfish and neurotic of them all is George Costanza, a character somewhat based on series co-creator, Larry David. George would have some of the most entertaining and hilarious stories throughout the run of the show and would be played flawlessly by the actor who would portray him.

Danny DeVito Was at an All-Time Career High

It is unfathomable to picture anyone other than Jason Alexander as George Costanza. The stage actor portrayed Costanza in a flawless manner, bringing to life the outrageous caricature of the human being that is George. It was nearly a role that never was, had Danny DeVito not turned down the opportunity.

While DeVito himself has never gone into specific details regarding his potential involvement with the show, Jason Alexander offered up his theory during a Howard Stern interview. Alexander believes DeVito turned down the “sidekick” role, thanks in part to his career being at an all-time high in the late ’80s and early ’90s. DeVito would have his own iconic roles in the hit series Taxi, andIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. The latter of which afforded DeVito to play a version of George Costanza in an episode of the FX series. Stream on Netflix.