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It can be hard to imagine anyone but our favorite actors in some of their most iconic roles, but in many cases, it comes down to a last-minute change to create the perfect cast. Whether another offer is on the table, or there is bad blood behind the scenes, sometimes actors are recast right in the middle of shooting. What would your favorite flick look like with a new lead?
Silence of The Lambs
The Silence of the Lambs is one of the most well-known and highly respected horror movies of the last few decades. It was so impressive that it even earned seven Oscar nominations. Jodie Foster won for her performance of Clarice Starling, the newbie FBI agent, but in the show Hannibal, Julianne Moore took over the role. Apparently, Jodie just wasn't up for another round of the spooky series.
Riverdale
Ross Butler was on the hit teen TV show Riverdale...until another opportunity came knocking. When he was offered a main role on another teen TV show, he knew he had to jump at it. He began acting on the Netflix teen drama 13 Reasons Why and never looked back. However, the show knew it needed a new Reggie Mantle, so they hired Charles Melton for the role, and he turned out to be a huge hit with the viewers.
Knocked Up
Could you imagine this comedy without Katherine Heigl in the lead? Well, once upon a time, that was totally the plan. Anne Hathaway was all set up to play the part. She had scripts memorized, costumes tailored, and she was fully ready to take on the role. However, she was recast at the very last minute and Heigl took the actress's place. The two have had bad blood between them ever since...
Transformers 3
If you fell in love with Megan Fox in Transformers, try to imagine the role played by Rosie Huntington-Whitely instead. She was hired to replace Meghan in the third film of the franchise as a new love interest for Shia LaBoeuf's character. Fans were pretty peeved about this new actress on the scene, but the battle between Meghan and the film's director suggests she might have left on her own accord.
Modern Family
When Mitch and Cam adopted a baby on Modern Family, it made sense that they'd need a new kid for the next season. Babies grow fast, so it wasn't long before the twins who played Lilly, Ella & Jaden Hiller, were too old for the part. They were replaced by Aubrey Anderson-Emmons, who grew up on the screen. She stayed in the role from toddlerhood all the way to her teenage years.
Two and a Half Men
Who was surprised to see Charlie Sheen go off the show? When the famous actor went off the rails on live TV, his career went with it. He lost a lot of respect in Hollywood, but he also lost his marbles and lost his job on the show Two and a Half Men. The show didn't last much longer after his removal, but Ashton Kutcher was brought into the unvierse for the ending seasons. Talk about an upgrade!
Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones was a show famous for its high number of characters, so it made it all the more confusing when Sir Beric Dondarrion was replaced out of nowhere. David Michael Scott played the role for only one episode before being recast by Richard Dormer. Amazingly though, that wasn't Scott's only day on set. He returned to play Beric's brother in a later season. It was very confusing for those with a great memory.
Back to the Future
I bet this actress wishes she could go back to the future. Elizabeth Shue replaced Claudia Wells as the girlfriend of protagonist Marty Mcfly. After filming the first movie, Claudia's mother became very sick and was diagnosed with cancer. She had to leave the production of the second film, as well as her entire acting career, to care for her mother. The job couldn't wait that long, so Shue took on the role.
Her
You might not have seen this actress change, but you certainly heard it. Scarlett Johanson's voice was the one associated with the automated robot but before she had the part, it was going to go to Samantha Morton. "In post is when we decided that what we did wasn’t working, and we ended up recasting with Scarlett," said the director.
The Lovely Bones
The Lovely Bones was one of the spookiest films based off of a book. It followed a young girl who was kidnapped and held underground as she planned her escape. Ryan Gosling prepared for the role of Jack Salmon, but apparently, he took things a little too far. His version of the character wasn't likable to casting, so they replaced him with Mark Wahlberg.
Harry Potter
Sometimes recasting isn't a decision so much as just a fact of life. Richard Harris passed away in 2002 as a result of his Hidgkins Disease. Though he was acclaimed in his role, earning two Oscar's for it, the show must go on. He was replaced with the actor Michael Gambon, who appeared in the remaining six films.
Friends
The core friends in Friends stayed the same throughout the series, but the periphery characters had their fair share of recasts. One of these was Carol, Ross's first wife. Anita Barone originally played Carol Willick, but she was replaced in later seasons with Jane Sibbett. The first actress was offered a full-time gig on another show and took that instead.
Game of Thrones
Gregor Clegane was one of the most intimadating characters on Game of Thrones, but was that due to his character development or his casting choices? As it turns out, several men have performed for the camera as the Mountain, including Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, Conan Stevens, and Ian Whyte. His character died at the hands (or fingers, rather) of Oberlyn Martell.
The Joker
Jared Leto's take on the Joker got horrible reviews from critics and audiences alike. However, his taking the role in Suicide Squad meant he would be getting a solo side project. Once the fans criticized his performance though, the deal was off and the enviable side project was given to Joaquin Phoenix. Leto was very unhappy with this decision.
Iron Man
Some people live and breathe Marvel universe trivia, but did you know about this casting change? Terrence Howard was replaced by Don Cheadle in Iron Man 2, promptly being kicked out of the comic book world for good. Howard's $8 million pay increase was cut to only $1 million, with the remainder of that money being given to Robert Downey Jr. It just came down to budget cuts, unfortunately for Howard.
The Amazing Spiderman
This one shouldn't be too shocking since the role of Spider-Man has already changed four different times. However, likely the most successful progression has been the switch from Andrew Garfield to Tom Holland. Garfield had aged out of the role by the time a new script came around, not to mention many found his interpretation of Peter Parker to be pretty boring. Thankfully, critics loved Holland's portrayal!
Back to the Future II
George McFly is pretty absent throughout the second movie, and that was for good reason. Crispin Glover left the franchise due to a dispute over his paycheck. He was replaced with Jeffrey Weissman, who was only featured a few times because of how much time and makeup it took to make him look like the original George. Details of this contract dispute changed the laws of actor rights.
Harry Potter
It would be pretty hard to catch this change without looking up the credits. After all, without a nose or any real facial features, this monster looks barely human at all! Voldemort is the scariest villain in young adult literature, originally played by Richard Bremmer, he was fired for the replacement of Ralph Fiennes.
Family Guy
You might not be aware that Mila Kunis voices the unloved daughter Meg from Family Guy. This role has earned her some pretty sizable paychecks over the years, but they almost went to Lacey Chabert. Lacey was pursuing a degree at the time, so she passed on the role to focus on her schoolwork. Hopefully, the degree better is worth more than Kunis' $175,000 and $225,000 per episode...
Hannibal
In a show about cannibals, how could you focus on anything else? Originally, Michael Pitt played the psychopath Mason Verger on the program. Once the character permanently altered his face, however, it went to the actor Joe Anderson. The timing just so happened to work out perfectly with recasting and shooting. The rest is history...
Game of Thrones
This Baratheon princess met quite an ill-fate, so maybe it's for the best that she was recast before that happened. Aimee Richardson was usurped by Nell Tiger Free and lost her crown during season 5. A harsh but true rumor--Aimee found out about her replacement during the middle of a panel in ComicCon.
Jane the Virgin
Matteo is the beloved only child of Jane from the hit sitcom Jane the Virgin. Like most child actors, growing up means growing out...of your acting job that is. Little Elias Janssen replaced Joseph Sanders as the baby that captures Jane's heart. He was too busy with school and childhood to be bothered for the part.
The Waltons
You probably don't remember the television show The Waltons, so you almost definitely didn't know about their casting change. Richard Thomas played the character of John-Boy, a kid who graduates from college and moves to the Big Apple to become an author. As he aged into the role, Robert Wightman replaced Richard Thomas.
Batwoman
Will the city notice if their hero suddenly looks different overnight? Actress Ruby Rose played the part for only one season before leaving the show. She was then promptly replaced by...no one. This show hasn't been cast yet, but producers definitely want to do a season two. Once one signs on to the series, it'll pick up where it left off.
The Incredible Hulk
It might be impossible to imagine anyone but Mark Ruffalo, Edward Norton was previously considered for the role because of his history playing the angry green giant. Norton just didn't mesh well with the other Avengers on the cast list, so he was replaced with the creative and innovative vision Mark Ruffalo brought to the character.
'Til Death
Allison Stark was the daughter of 'Til Death's main couple, Eddie and Joy, but was cast and then recast...four times! After the first few switches, the episodes started mocking the actress swaps on-screen. Krysten Ritter played Ally for the first two seasons, but Laura Clery filled in the role in the next season, and Kate Micucci finishing the part in the last season.
Parenthood
In some cases, health issues are the reason for a sudden change. The actress Maura Tierney found out that she had developed breast cancer just prior to filming her role as Sarah Braverman on Parenthood. Lauren Graham went on to replace her and even married co-star Peter Krause. Best of all, Maura was able to overcome and beat cancer for good!
Shameless
Mandy Milkovich in Shameless is just one of the many deranged and upsetting characters from this highly unhinged drama. During the first few episodes of the starting season, Mandy was played by actress Jane Levy. However, Jane left the program shortly after starting to star in the acclaimed comedy Suburgatory. Actress Emma Greenwell played Mandy for the rest of the show until she was written out in the sixth season.
The Goldbergs
The Goldbergs was a beloved show, so when Alexis G. Zall replaced Rowan Blanchard in the sixth season, fans were understandably upset. However, the truth was that Rowan was sick of the part and wanted out of her contract. Youtuber Alexis G. Zall was hoping to shed her online image and move to TV. It worked out great for everyone but the viewers...
Pretty Little Liars
Deception is the whole theme of this show, so it's no surprise that Toby Cavenaugh was actually played by James Neate during the first few episodes. He even had a different name--Toby Marshall. After Keegan Allen took over the part, the name change matched a recasting. Neate left the popular drama to star in the Amazon show The Man in the High Castle, which received high acclaim.
Boy Meets World
Little sister Morgan is the hilarious and very loud-mouthed sibling of Cory on Boy Meets World, the hit teen comedy of the 1990s. However, she looks entirely different going between seasons two and three. This is because actress Lily Nicksay portrayed Morgan during the first two seasons, but actress Lindsay Ridgeway took over the role after her, as the character needed to grow up faster.
The O.C.
It might seem impossible now, but once upon a time, actress Shailene Woodley was recast from her role as Kaitlin Cooper on The O.C. She was replaced by Willa Holland. Shailene just wasn't a good fit, and "the version of Kaitlin Cooper that we were going to bring back to the show was a little bit older than Shailene would’ve been able to achieve on her own."
Game of Thrones
In this show, just because your character doesn't die, does not mean your safe from losing your job. The Night King is a character prevalent throughout the series, but Richard Brake played the original Night King for the first five seasons. He was later recast with Vladimir Furdik. Vladimir also portrayed the very first White Walker Jon Snow had to destroy.
Last Man Standing
If anyone bothered to watch this side-eyed sitcom, you might have noticed Nick Jonas playing the deadbeat boyfriend in the first season. However, due to Nick's unsurprisingly busy tour schedule, he wasn't able to keep up with the demand of the job. He was replaced by Jordan Masterson and it was never acknowledged onscreen again.
Pretty Little Liars
Pretty Little Liars certainly loves to pull a fast one on its followers. Did you catch Jason's sudden change? Alison’s brother Jason was first portrayed by actor Parker Bagley during the first season, but when season two came around he looked quite a lot like Drew Van Acker. His new floppy fringe was different but widely accepted.
Fresh Prince of Bel-Aire
Aunt Vivian is one of the most famous recasts in television history, partially because everyone noticed immediately. The first Aunt Viv, played by Janet Hubert-Whitten, had a big fight with protagonist Will Smith and said "I will never do anything with an assh*le like Will Smith." No surprise that she was then recast. Daphne Maxwell Reid replaced her for the remaining seasons.
Batman Begins
As one Batman Begins, another's career must end. High profile actress Katie Holmes portrayed the character of Rachel Dawes in Batman Begins, but she was recast and replaced with Maggie Gyllenhaal for the sequel. There was no bad blood on set, Katie Holmes was just tired of playing Rachel and wanted to explore other career options.
Seinfeld
Jerry’s dad, Morty Seinfeld, is one of the best parts of the show after his name. Barney Martin's performance as the father remains one of the most well-known of his career. However, the character of Morty was partially portrayed by actor Phil Bruns for the first season. He was recast because creators Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David thought the character should be grumpier and hard to please.
True Blood
Pour one out in loving memory of Nathan Parsons’ evil-man goatee. Nathan and his scary facial hair joined the cast after Luke Grimes reportedly left the show. Though it's unconfirmed, apparently he left due to being uncomfortable as a gay character. The cast and crew alike were reportedly "baffled and angered" by the decision, but the show was better off without him.
That 70's Show
Things get a little darker when you consider this star's fall from the small screen. Lisa Robin Kelly dropped out of the role due to her addiction to excessive drinking. "With That ’70s Show, I was guilty of a drinking problem...and I ran," she told ABC. Christina Moore took on the role after her departure, but fans and Kelly were both sad to see her go.
Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones seemed to just swap out actors whenever they felt like it, huh? The mythical Three-Eyed Raven is no exception, first being played by Struan Rodger, with Max von Sydow taking over soon after. The first iteration of the birdman didn't do much, so no one really noticed until they checked IMDb.
The Fosters
Talk about replacing one big star with another! When Noah Centineo was still just another struggling actor/ heartthrob, he got a job replacing Disney Channel's Jake T. Austin on The Fosters. Jake was pretty upset at the sudden change, commenting on his new absence by saying, "I was only asked to return for three episodes and wasn’t going to be able to work on anything else, so I left..."
Once Upon A Time
The storybook show had quite a few changes in characters over the years. Tom Ellis originally played the fictional Robin Hood in season one, but Sean Maguire stepped into the role for the remaining seasons. Ellis just had a few scheduling conflicts but harbors no ill-will toward Maguire.
Rosanne
Read closely for this one: Lecy Goranson left Rosanne to go to college full time. She played the role for five years before being replaced by actress Sarah Chalke from the show Scrubs. Lecy then left college and came back to the program, only to be replaced by Sarah again. They did a short-lived reboot which Lecy starred in. Phew!
Arrow
Jacqueline MacInnes Wood might have been the sinister Black Canary the pilot episode of Arrow, but she didn't get to revel in her new gig for long. She was too busy to continue with the show. She just had too many other acting roles lined up! Caity Lotz was hired to take over the position. Now that's a character who can successfully pull off an eye mask!
The Office
Only true office fans would ever notice this change. The character of Pam has had two different mothers appear on the show. The second mom is Linda Purl, remembered by fans for her uncomfortable escapade with Michael. In the first iteration of her, Shannon Cochran played the parent (and looked entirely different...)
Supergirl
In season 3 of this girl power show, Erica Durance was recast into Laura Benanti's role. Laura's Broadway schedule caused problems for the show, so she left. "We are so blessed that Erica has come aboard to offer her own interpretation of Kara’s mother," said executive producer Andrew Kreisberg, "We know Erica will continue the proud tradition of legacy actors joining our shows and creating new and exciting takes on classic DC characters."
Two and a Half Men
When you've only got two and a half men in a TV show, the recasting can be pretty noticeable. Take, for example, the recasting of the character Dolores Pasternak. Missi Pyle was originally in the role, but she was replaced by Alicia Witt. Then, Missi randomly returned with no explanation at the series' last episode. No one knows why really...
Mad Men
Kids are often recast as they grow up and grow old, and it's usually for good reason. When Bobby Draper was on camera though, try taking a closer look. Tons of kids played the character, including the core four actors, Maxwell Huckabee, Aaron Hart, Jared Gilmore, and Mason Vale Cotton. Even weirder, every iteration of 'Bobby' had a different nickname on set.
Catwoman
Eartha Kitt was hired for the role of Catwoman shortly after Julie Newmar left her iconic role (and tight costume) to find a movie career."That character to me was so much fun. I was in dire need of tremendous help at that time, and like a starving cat, I had to find a way to survive" said Eartha of her memories there, "People recognized my name and still do because of Catwoman."
Bewitched
Hold onto your broomsticks, did you know that Darrin from Bewitched was a recast? Dick York was beloved on the show, so when he left to deal with his severe back issues, fans were less than thrilled. Dick Sargent took on the job of husband, and the ratings didn't fall in love with him the way producers hoped.
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Did you spy Greg's recasting in the show Crazy Ex-Girlfriend? Greg's character left the show, but when he returned, he came back as Broadway celeb Skylar Astin. This change was written into his character, with the protagonist realizing how much someone's perception can change over time. Santino Fontana was happy to hand over the role so he could return to the theatre.
30 Rock
Sherri Shepherd played Tracy’ Morgans wife, Angie, in the comedy program 30 Rock. She was beloved by fans, but not beloved enough to avoid recasting. Turns out, she wasn't the first in the role. That title goes to Sharon Wilkins, who showed up in just a single episode before she was given the boot. Sorry, Sharon...
That 70's Show
Remember when Jackie's mom wasn't played by a supermodel on this show? Brooke Shields is remembered for her time as the teen queen mother, but Eve Plumb was the original Pamela. Jackie's relationship with her mother was just easier to watch when you have this gorgeous woman doling out motherly advice.
Adventures of Superman
Lois Lane was first played by Phyllis Coates in season 1. Taking place in the 1950s era, actress Noel Neill eventually took her place onset of the show. Though both received rave reviews, sometimes, the role just isn't the right fit at the right time. Coates just had more important commitments going on back then.
The Munsters
Have you ever heard the phrase "She's a real Marilyn Munster" before? That phrase comes from this show, where Marilyn is the only normal one in a family or oddities. Beverley Owen was the original odd-one-out, but she was replaced by Pat Priest when making the move to New York to be with her husband. Fun fact: her husband was a writer for Sesame Street!
Sense8
This short-lived Netflix show still had time to get a recasting squeezed in. Aml Ameen (known on the show as Capheus) was replaced with Toby Onwumere during season 2. It was apparently due to "some sort of conflict between Aml and Sense8 co-creator/executive producer/director Lana Wachowski that sparked up at the season 2 table read in Berlin and worsened as filming continued in India." Sounds dramatic...
Furious 7
Are you ready for a tear-jerker? Paul Walker had passed away before the film was done shooting. With some careful CGI work and clever editing, the cast and crew were able to recreate the deceased star on the screen. His brothers were also used for some behind shots and other movie magic scenes.
The Partridge Family
Brian Forster was the one playing Chris, but he was replaced later by Jeremy Gelbwaks after their family moved. But that’s far from the whole story. It doesn't end there though. Allegedly, Jeremy was said to have “had a personality conflict with every person in the cast and the producers”—which is a hard stance to take against someone who can't even multiply by 12 yet.
Dallas
Jenna Wade from Dallas was not just any character, so the role couldn't go to just any actress. Morgan Fairchild acted as Jenna for a single episode, but she was replaced by Francine Tacker for two episodes. Then, when Jenna returned a few seasons later, who took the part but the wife of rock n' roll, Priscilla Presley?
The Jeffersons
This is a crazy story. The character of Lionel Jefferson was known for Damon Evans' portrayal, but he was first played by Mike Evans. Evans' only issue was that he wasn't part of the family! Don't worry though, because Mike returned toward the end of the series for a few seasons, so the family was reunited once again!
Private Practice
Naomi wasn't always played by Audra McDonald. In fact, she was first played by an actress named Merrin Dungey This swap was due to “a chemistry thing between Merrin and Taye Diggs, who played Naomi’s estranged husband, Sam." Shonda Rhimes was especially hurt by the recast, as she and Merrin were very close friends.
Big Love
Remember Teenie from Big Love? Apparently, producers were hoping a red wig would trick fans into thinking Jolean Wejbe was not replaced with Bella Thorne. "When I met with producers on the role," said Thorne, "they told me to just make the character my own and not to try and match the other actress," Easier said than done, Bella...
Monk
Trudy Monk was once played by the actress Stellina Rusich, but she only acted on the show for about two seasons before being recast. She was then replaced by Melora Hardin. You might recognize Melora for her much bigger and funnier role as Jan on The Office.
Thor: The Dark World
Natalie Portman as Jane Foster was short-lived. She was all set up to play opposite Chris Hemsworth's God of Thunder, but her part in The Dark World wasn't fully her. Portman was unavailable to make the reshoots of their kissing scene but lucky for producers, Hemsworth's real-life wife, Elsa Pataky, donned a wig and locked lips!