Woody Harrelson says turning down the lead role in this blockbuster film is one of his biggest career regrets
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Woody Harrelson has garnered acclaim for his many Hollywood roles over the years, but there's one film he now wishes he hadn't turned down.
In a wide-ranging interview with Esquire, the Emmy-winning actor, 58, briefly spoke about his biggest career regrets, which included rejecting a role in the film "Jerry Maguire."
"I was offered—what’s the 'Show me the money' movie? 'Jerry Maguire'? I was offered 'Jerry Maguire,' and I said to Jim [James L. Brooks, one of the film’s producers], 'Nobody is going to give a s--t about an agent.'," Harrelson told the magazine.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Woody Harrelson attends the premiere of 'The Highwaymen' at the Paramount Theatre during the 2019 SXSW Conference And Festival on March 10, 2019 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Gary Miller/FilmMagic)
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The film's lead role eventually went to Tom Cruise, and although the former "Cheers" star clearly had reservations at the time, "Jerry Maguire" went on to become a massive commercial success.
It earned five Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor for Cruise, and Best Supporting Actor for Cuba Gooding Jr.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The film, which raked in more than $273 million worldwide, was also successful at the Golden Globes, where Cruise won the award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.
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Elsewhere in the interview, Harrelson discussed his role in the upcoming sequel "Zombieland: Double Tap," and how he also nearly turned down his fan-favorite role in the 2009 original film.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"My agent sent me the script, and I said, ‘Zombies, dude? Really? Has it come to this?’ And he said, ‘Will you please just read it?’ Finally, I did, and I’m like, ‘Damn. That’s good writing," the actor said.
If he had turned down "Zombieland," it would have meant another huge "what-if" for Harrelson. The post-apocalyptic comedy was beloved by critics and moviegoers, and held the title of the highest-grossing zombie film in the United States, before being overtaken by Brad Pitt's "World War Z" in 2013.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Zombieland: Double Tap" crawls into theaters on October 18, with Harrelson co-starring alongside returning stars Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin.