16 Actors Who Auditioned For Heroes But Became Iconic Villains Instead

Christopher Lee was a huge fan of the books and had long dreamed of playing Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings, which is the role he auditioned for. Director Peter Jackson, however, felt he was better suited to play the opposing wizard and villain, Saruman. Lee accepted the part and gave a powerful performance as the corrupted wizard who betrays his old friends.

While preparing for the film Thor, Tom Hiddleston went through a full audition process for the lead role of the hero. Although the part ultimately went to Chris Hemsworth, Hiddleston's screen test impressed the filmmakers so much that they offered him the role of the villain, Loki. Hiddleston had not even auditioned for the God of Mischief, but he accepted the part and made it one of the most popular characters in the franchise.

When casting for Batman Begins, Cillian Murphy was a serious contender for the lead role and even did a screen test wearing the Batsuit. While director Christopher Nolan ultimately chose Christian Bale for the hero, he was so impressed with Murphy that he offered him the part of the villain, Scarecrow. Murphy accepted and became a memorable antagonist throughout the acclaimed trilogy.

Before he was cast as the notoriously cruel Ramsay Bolton, Iwan Rheon was a finalist for the role of the hero, Jon Snow, in Game of Thrones. The part of Snow eventually went to Kit Harington, but the producers were so impressed with Rheon that they chose him to play one of the show's most despised villains. His performance was widely recognized, making Ramsay Bolton an unforgettable television antagonist.

In the casting for Mean Girls, Lindsay Lohan was first considered for the villain, Regina George, while Rachel McAdams auditioned for the hero, Cady Heron. Due to Lohan's recent success as a lead in another movie, the studio wanted her to play the hero instead. This led to the two actresses swapping roles, with McAdams being cast as the iconic villain.

Before Christian Bale was even considered, director Christopher Nolan's first choice to play the hero in Batman Begins was Heath Ledger. Both Ledger and Nolan eventually agreed that he was not the right fit for the role of Bruce Wayne. This decision paved the way for Nolan to later cast him as the Joker in the sequel, The Dark Knight, a legendary performance that won him an Academy Award.

For the 1995 film GoldenEye, Sean Bean was a finalist to take over the role of James Bond. While Pierce Brosnan ultimately won the part of the hero, producers cast Bean as the film's primary antagonist, Alec Trevelyan. The role positioned him as a dark mirror to Bond, a former friend and fellow MI6 agent turned into a powerful enemy.

When Arnold Schwarzenegger first met with director James Cameron, it was to discuss playing the hero, Kyle Reese, in The Terminator. However, Cameron was so impressed by Schwarzenegger's powerful presence that he envisioned him as the film's title villain instead. Schwarzenegger was convinced to take the part, and his performance as the nearly silent, unstoppable machine became a legendary role in action cinema.

During the early stages of casting for Iron Man, director Jon Favreau considered Sam Rockwell as a possible choice for the lead role of Tony Stark. While the part famously went to Robert Downey Jr., Favreau remained eager to work with Rockwell. He later brought him into the franchise as the rival industrialist and villain, Justin Hammer, in the sequel Iron Man 2.

In the early 2000s, James Franco was a top contender to play the hero Spider-Man in director Sam Raimi's new film series. Although the role of Peter Parker ultimately went to Tobey Maguire, Franco's audition impressed the filmmakers. They cast him in the significant role of Harry Osborn, Peter's best friend who later becomes the villainous New Goblin.

During the casting for Brian De Palma's classic horror film Carrie, Nancy Allen first auditioned to play the tormented protagonist, Carrie White. Although the lead role ultimately went to Sissy Spacek, De Palma instead cast Allen as the cruel antagonist, Chris Hargensen. This meant Allen portrayed the popular student who orchestrates the film's infamous and tragic prom night prank.

For the sequel Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, Demi Moore was considered for the heroic role of Dylan Sanders. Instead, director McG cast her as the film's villain, a rogue ex-Angel named Madison Lee. This created a dynamic where Moore played a dark reflection of the heroes she had originally auditioned to portray.

When casting for Orange Is the New Black, Laura Prepon auditioned for the protagonist, Piper Chapman. The show's creator, however, felt that Prepon didn't project the necessary fear for the character's initial time in prison. She was instead cast as Alex Vause, Piper's scheming ex-girlfriend, after producers noticed the undeniable chemistry between Prepon and Taylor Schilling, the actress who won the role of Piper.

For the 2005 film adaptation of Doom, Dwayne Johnson auditioned for the central hero, John Grimm. The production instead cast him as Sarge, the squad's tough commanding officer. This role allowed Johnson to portray a character who transforms from a leader into the movie's primary antagonist.

Actress Julie Benz initially tried out for the lead role in the TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Although she did not get the part of the hero, the show's creators instead cast her as the villainous vampire, Darla. The character became one of the first major antagonists for Buffy in the series.

Lee Pace was one of the final actors considered for the role of the hero, Star-Lord, in Guardians of the Galaxy. Although the part ultimately went to Chris Pratt, director James Gunn was so impressed with Pace's audition that he cast him as the film's powerful antagonist, Ronan the Accuser. This decision allowed Pace to remain a central figure in the movie, just on the opposite side of the conflict.