Getting "cold feet"

Joaquin Phoenix quits shortly before the start of filming

Joaquin Phoenix quit his role in his new film just a few days before the start of shooting.

(Bild: 2020 Getty Images)

He is known in Hollywood as an eccentric. But that is not the reason why Joaquin Phoenix suddenly dropped out just five days before the start of filming his latest movie. 

According to insiders in the industry magazine "Variety", the 49-year-old is said to have got "cold feet". The reason: the film by director Todd Haynes is about the romance of a gay couple in the 1930s, and "the intimate scenes were simply too much for Joaquim".

Will the movie not be made?
However, this could not have come as a surprise to him, as he had co-written the script himself. According to "Variety", it is still very much up in the air whether the film will be made at all. 

Joaquin Phoenix is said to have been disturbed by the "intimate scenes" in the film and therefore backed out.

(Bild: www.PPS.at)

However, the Oscar winner is by no means the only mega star to pull out shortly before a shoot. 

Costume too silly
Jean Claude Van Damme was supposed to play the alien being hunted by Arnold Schwarzenegger in "Predator". During rehearsals shortly before filming began, the martial arts star freaked out because he thought his costume looked silly. When he then learned that he would not be recognizable through visual effects, the vain Belgian stomped off the set and was replaced by Kevin Peter Hall as the Predator.

Charlie Hunnam was originally intended for the role of Christian Grey in "50 Shades of Grey" and backed out shortly before filming. According to reports, this was because he found the sado-maso sex scenes with Dakota Johnson too risqué. In reality, he had already given his friend Guillermo del Toro the go-ahead to star in "Crimson Peak" and the shooting dates overlapped. Jamie Dornan took over for him.

Squabble on set
Bill Murray was also scheduled to appear in the second part of "Three Angels for Charlie" as Bosley, the boss of the three beautiful secret agents. But then the comedian announced that he no longer wanted the role. According to rumors, he had fallen out with co-star Lucy Liu and is said to have headbutted director McG. At least the latter was denied by Murray, who was replaced by Bernie Mac.

Bill Murray did not return to "3 Angels for Charlie" due to problems on the set.

(Bild: COLUMBIA / Mary Evans / picturedesk.com)

Kim Basinger had signed up to play the lead role in the 1993 thriller "Boxing Helena". Because she found her character too unlikeable, she demanded that director Jennifer Lynch rewrite the script. Which she did. However, when Basinger saw the script shortly before filming began, she dropped out of the movie: "The changes were ridiculous and bungling," was the reason given. The actress was sued by the production company and had to pay 3.8 million dollars in damages.

Too exhausted for "The Godfather"
At the height of her career, Winona Ryder received an offer from Francis Ford Coppola to play Michael Corleone's daughter Mary in the third part of "The Godfather". The night before filming was due to start, Ryder informed the legendary director that she had shot too many films in a row and was too exhausted for another one. Coppola's daughter Sofia stepped in at short notice for the role of Mary - and was torn apart by critics for her "amateurish acting performance". 

John Travolta was the lead actor in Roman Polanski's 1996 film "The Double". But during a rehearsal reading, the star suddenly stormed off the set and never returned. According to reports, Travolta exploded when he found out that Polanski had rewritten parts of the script without his knowledge. The producers sued Travolta for 17 million dollars for breach of contract and the actor counter-sued. In the end, an out-of-court settlement was reached.

James Purefoy was to play the lead role of the masked anarchist alongside Natalie Portman in "V For Vendetta". But when the film was released, "Matrix" star Hugo Weaving was under the mask. It was only last year that Purefoy denied the persistent rumor on X that he had given up his role because he found the iconic mask too uncomfortable: "I'm not allowed to talk about it, but it had nothing to do with the mask but with creative differences!"