Can you imagine your favorite movies with a different lead actor? While it may be hard to picture someone else alongside Richard Gere in Pretty Woman or Matt Damon in Avatar, some of the biggest movie role were turned down by prominent names in Hollywood.

These six actors turned down the role of a lifetime for one reason or another, and I bet they're still kicking themselves.

Gwyneth Paltrow - Titanic

In a movie that dominated the box office in 1997, was nominated for 14 Oscars and won 11 of them, there is no doubt that the entire cast and crew were happy with the film's performance.

Before the young Kate Winslet was cast as the rich girl, Rose DeWitt Bukater, there was another top name celebrity up for the part.

As it turns out Gwyneth Paltrow was director James Cameron's top choice for the lead female character.

In an interview with Howard Stern, Paltrow admits that she can't change her decisions of the past and that her choices were made for something greater.

Meg Ryan- Pretty Woman

It's hard to imagine anyone other than Julia Roberts playing the endearing prostitute, Vivian in the classic 1990 romantic comedy, Pretty Woman.

Surprisingly, she wasn't the first choice for the part, however.

Both Meg Ryan and Michelle Pfieffer turned down the part because they were uncomfortable with the script. The original script also had a much darker ending, which was later changed.

As we know, Roberts worked alongside Richard Gere and made an adorable on screen couple!

The little-known actress at the time went on to win a Golden Globe for her portrayal and was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress.

Hugh Jackman - James Bond

We may know him as Wolverine, but the Australian actor had the chance to put on a British accent and play the famous spy agent.

After Pierce Brosnon's contract ended, Jackman was approached for the role and he surprisingly turned it down.

"I was about to shoot X-Men 2 and Wolverine had become this thing in my life and I didn't want to be doing two such iconic characters at once," he said.

The actor has since admitted that he regrets turning down the role.

In a 2013 interview with Fabric magazine he jokes, "Of course, I cry myself to sleep every night."

British actor, Daniel Craig then stepped into the spy's shoes, creating the highest grossing Bond films of the franchise.

Matt Damon - Avatar

Titanic was the highest grossing film of all time, until Avatar came out in 2009 which proved that James Cameron really knows how to turn out a Blockbuster hit.

Matt Damon was Cameron's first choice to play Jake Sully in the blue alien blockbuster. But having other film commitments at the time, Damon was unable to accept the role.

"I particularly wanted to work with James Cameron, and still do... He knew he was the star of that movie and that everyone was going to see it anyway," Damon said in a 2012 interview.

"When he said, "˜Look, I'm offering it to you, but if you say no, the movie doesn't need you,' I remember thinking, "˜Oh God, not only do I have to say no because of scheduling, but he's going to make a star out of some guy who's going to to start taking jobs from me later,' Damon said.

That's when Australian actor Sam Worthington stepped into the role and shot to stardom.

Leonardo DiCaprio- American Psycho

There are very few actors that can pull off a role refined yet maniacal psychopath with such precision, and Christian Bale is one of them.

The lead of Wall Street banker Patrick Batemen in 2000 flick American Psycho almost didn't go to him, however. With Leonardo DiCaprio's popularity after the box office smash hit of Titantic he was the natural pick for the role.

Bale was so confident that DiCaprio would drop out from the movie that he didn't take any roles for nine months.

After disputes with the movie's director, Oliver Stone, DiCaprio indeed did drop out and Bale landed the role he was promised, which propelled him to fame.

Years later DiCaprio would end up playing another financier character in the 2014 hit Wolf of Wallstreet.

John Travolta- Forrest Gump

Known for it's memorable quotes and touching story, this classic movie almost didn't have Tom Hanks as the lead role. John Travolta was actually in the running to play the titular part in the 1994 flick.

Travolta, however, declined the part for unknown reasons. He has since expressed regret about not taking the role which earned Tom Hanks his second Oscar for Best Actor. Hanks is the only person in history to have won the Best Actor Oscar two years in a row.

Source: Daily Mail