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Wasting the Opportunity Trivia Quiz

Movie casting is a bizarre process. Some performers have turned down acclaimed movie roles. Some famous movie characters were passed on by several talented performers. This quiz is about these wasted opportunities in movie casting.

A multiple-choice quiz by workisboring. Estimated time: 3 mins.

Author
workisboring

Time
3 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
366,592

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Easy

Avg Score
9 / 10

Plays
981

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

Last 3 plays: Guest 75 (3/10), Guest 24 (9/10), Guest 71 (8/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. The producers of the 1981 film "Raiders of the Lost Ark" wanted to hire a lesser known actor to play the lead character of the movie named Indiana Jones. The first choice for this role turned it down because he had just committed to play the lead character in the television show "Magnum P.I.". Who was this star that wasted the opportunity to play role of Indiana Jones? Hint

Tim Matheson

Tom Selleck

John Shea

Peter Coyote

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Question 2 of 10

2. The 1990 film "Pretty Woman" was a box office hit receiving four Golden Globe nominations and an Academy Award nomination. The lead character, Vivian Ward, was turned down by many known actresses. Who did NOT waste the opportunity to play Vivian Ward in the 1990 film "Pretty Woman"? Hint

Julia Roberts

Daryl Hannah

Molly Ringwald

Jennifer Jason Leigh

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Question 3 of 10

3. Which television soap opera turned movie star wasted the opportunity to play Cher Horowitz in the 1995 movie "Clueless"? Hint

Amanda Seyfried

Meg Ryan

Sarah Michelle Gellar

Rosie O'Donnell

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Question 4 of 10

4. Clarice Starling was the protagonist in the 1991 horror blockbuster film "Silence of the Lambs". Which actress did NOT waste the opportunity to play Clarice Starling? Hint

Meg Ryan

Jodie Foster

Geena Davis

Melanie Griffith

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Question 5 of 10

5. Which Scottish actor, who played the role of James Bond in seven movies from 1962 through 1983, wasted the opportunity of playing the role of Gandalf in the "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy from 2001 through 2003, by turning the role down? Hint

Sean Connery

Timothy Dalton

Roger Moore

Pierce Brosnan

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Question 6 of 10

6. Several actors wasted the opportunity to play the character Neo in the 1999 science fiction blockbuster film "The Matrix". Which actor did NOT waste the opportunity to play Neo? Hint

Brad Pitt

Will Smith

Keanu Reeves

Nicolas Cage

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Question 7 of 10

7. Which star of the 1998 movie "Shakespeare in Love" wasted the opportunity to play Rose DeWitt Bukater in the 1997 blockbuster film "Titanic"? Hint

Emma Thompson

Gwyneth Paltrow

Cate Blanchett

Nicole Kidman

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Question 8 of 10

8. Several actors wasted the opportunity to play the character of Roy Neary in the 1977 movie "Close Encounters of the Third Kind". Which actor did NOT waste the opportunity to play Roy Neary? Hint

Jack Nicholson

Steve McQueen

Richard Dreyfuss

Gene Hackman

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Question 9 of 10

9. The 1978 film "Grease" featured a group of cool guys called the T-Birds. Which actor from the T-Birds wasted the opportunity by passing on the iconic title role in the 1994 film "Forrest Gump"? Hint

Kelly Ward

Jeff Conaway

John Travolta

Barry Pearl

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Question 10 of 10

10. Which divine actress from Hawaii wasted the opportunity to play Sister Mary Clarence in the 1992 film "Sister Act"? Hint

Kathie Lee Gifford

Penny Marshall

Bette Midler

Barbra Streisand

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Most Recent Scores

Nov 06 2024 : Guest 75: 3/10
Oct 16 2024 : Guest 24: 9/10
Oct 15 2024 : Guest 71: 8/10

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

Answer: Tom Selleck

Eventually, the producers chose a known actor in Harrison Ford for the role of Indiana Jones in the 1981 movie "Raiders of the Lost Ark". The movie was nominated for nine Academy Awards in 1981 and Harrison Ford played the role of Indiana Jones for three more movies. Tom Selleck did star in movies such as the the 1984 film "Lassiter", 1987 movie "Three Men and a Baby" and the 1992 film "Mr. Baseball".

Answer: Julia Roberts

Actresses Michelle Pfeiffer, Mary Steenburgen, Valeria Golino, Molly Ringwald, Meg Ryan, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Karen Allen and Daryl Hannah all turned down the role of Vivian Ward in the 1990 film "Pretty Woman". Julia Roberts accepted the role of Vivian Ward which earned her a Golden Globe for Best Actress and a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Actress. Julia Roberts appeared in such films as the 1989 film "Steel Magnolias", the 2000 film and the 2013 film "August: Osage County".

3. Which television soap opera turned movie star wasted the opportunity to play Cher Horowitz in the 1995 movie "Clueless"?

Answer: Sarah Michelle Gellar

Alicia Silverstone landed the role of Cher Horowitz in the 1995 movie "Clueless". Sarah Michelle Gellar was originally offered the role of Cher Horowitz, but turned it down due to her commitment to playing the role Kendall Hart in the daytime television soap opera "All My Children", for which she won the 1995 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series. Sarah Michelle Gellar has appeared in films such as the 1997 film "I Know What You Did Last Summer" and the 1999 film "Cruel Intentions".

4. Clarice Starling was the protagonist in the 1991 horror blockbuster film "Silence of the Lambs". Which actress did NOT waste the opportunity to play Clarice Starling?

Answer: Jodie Foster

Many actresses turned down the role of Clarice Starling in the 1991 film "Silence of the Lambs" including Michelle Pfeiffer, Geena Davis, Meg Ryan, Linda Hamilton and Melanie Griffith. The role was accepted by Jodi Foster. The movie won Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Director, and Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay). Jodie Foster won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role of Clarice Starling. Jodie Foster starred in the 1976 movies "Taxi Driver" and "Bugsy Malone" and the 1988 film "The Accused".

Answer: Sean Connery

Sean Connery turned down the role of Gandalf in "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy from 2001 through 2003. Ian McKellen accepted this role. Connery cost himself millions of dollars by turning this role as he was offered fifteen percent of the trilogy's profits. Sean Connery was considered for this role after his stellar acting career starring in movies such as the 1987 film "The Untouchables" and the 1990 film "The Hunt for Red October".

6. Several actors wasted the opportunity to play the character Neo in the 1999 science fiction blockbuster film "The Matrix". Which actor did NOT waste the opportunity to play Neo?

Answer: Keanu Reeves

The character Neo in the 1999 film "The Matrix" was turned down by established actors such as Brad Pitt, Val Kilmer, Will Smith, Nicolas Cage and Johnny Depp. Keanu Reeves accepted the role of Neo. The film won four Academy Awards and spawned two sequels. Keanu Reeves starred in such films as the 1989 "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure" and the 1994 film "Speed".

7. Which star of the 1998 movie "Shakespeare in Love" wasted the opportunity to play Rose DeWitt Bukater in the 1997 blockbuster film "Titanic"?

Answer: Gwyneth Paltrow

Gwyneth Paltrow turned down the role of Rose DeWitt Bukater in the 1997 film "Titanic". The part went to Kate Winslet. The 1997 film "Titanic" won eleven Academy Awards and Kate Winslet was nominated for the Best Actress Academy Award for her role as Rose DeWitt Bukater.

Gwyneth Paltrow was offered the role of Rose DeWitt Bukater in the 1997 film "Titanic", but Paltrow was busy filming her role as Viola de Lesseps in the the 1998 movie "Shakespeare in Love". Paltrow won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role as Viola de Lesseps. In 1998, Gwyneth Paltrow also starred in the movies "Sliding Doors" and "A Perfect Murder".

8. Several actors wasted the opportunity to play the character of Roy Neary in the 1977 movie "Close Encounters of the Third Kind". Which actor did NOT waste the opportunity to play Roy Neary?

Answer: Richard Dreyfuss

Roy Neary was played by Richard Dreyfuss in the movie 1977 "Close Encounters of the Third Kind". Actors Steve McQueen, Dustin Hoffman, Al Pacino, Gene Hackman and Jack Nicholson all had the opportunity top play the character Roy Neary but turned it down. In 1978, the movie "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" earned many nominations at the Academy Awards, the British Academy Film Awards and the Golden Globe Awards. Richard Dreyfuss also starred in other movies such as the 1975 film "Jaws", the 1977 film "The Goodbye Girl" and the 1995 film "Mr. Holland's Opus".

Answer: John Travolta

John Travolta starred in movies such as the 1977 film "Saturday Night Fever", the 1978 film "Grease" and the 1980 film "Urban Cowboy". John Travolta was the original choice to play the title character in the 1994 film "Forrest Gump". Travolta turned down the role because he was committed to play Vincent Vega in the 1994 film "Pulp Fiction". Eventually Tom Hanks was cast for the role. Tom Hanks won the Academy Awards for Best Actor for this role.

10. Which divine actress from Hawaii wasted the opportunity to play Sister Mary Clarence in the 1992 film "Sister Act"?

Answer: Bette Midler

Whoopi Goldberg played Sister Mary Clarence in the 1992 film "Sister Act" and the 1993 sequel "Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit". The movie inspired a "Sister Act" theater production which ran in Pasadena, California, in New York City, New York and in London, England.

The Divine Miss M, Bette Midler was originally offered the part of Sister Mary Clarence in the "Sister Act" movie series. Bette Midler turned down the role fearing that her fans would not want to see her play the role of a nun. Bette Midler starred in movies such as the 1979 film "The Rose" and the 1988 films "Big Business" and "Beaches".

Source: Author workisboring

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor skunkee before going online.
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