You might think that Se7en is a superb film which has little room for improvement – but what if Denzel Washington was cast in it?
The veteran actor, 69, revealed that he almost starred in the 1995 thriller, but ultimately turned down the opportunity of taking on a leading role.
It’s a decision which he kicked himself for when he finally watched David Fincher’s enthralling flick – and one which could have changed the whole trajectory of the film.
Check out the trailer for it here:
Se7en trailer
New Line Cinema
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The critically-acclaimed movie could have looked a lot different if Washington didn’t decline the role of the new cop on the block, David Mills.
In Se7en, the recently-transferred detective is partnered up with investigator William Somerset (Morgan Freeman), who is set to retire, to solve a series of gruesome murders.
The pair butt heads quite a bit while trying to track down the cold-blooded killer, who is carrying out slayings which are based on the seven deadly sins.
As we all know, Brad Pitt ended up taking on the role of Mills – so Washington probably did him a favour turning it down, as it’s one of the most memorable parts he has ever played.
I mean, it’s not like any of us have forgotten his delivery of the iconic line: “What’s in the box?!“
Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt starred alongside each other in the 1995 thriller (New Line Cinema)
But in another world, it could have been Washington uttering the sentence before realising it’s the severed head of his pregnant wife inside the package.
A lot of people reckon that The Equaliser star would have been perfect for the gig – and not just because he’s got a knack for having catchy quotes in films.
But considering his work in other dark thrillers such as The Bone Collector and The Little Things, it seemed like Se7en and Washington would be a match made in heaven.
However, the actor explained that he passed up on the opportunity because he thought the plot was ‘too demonic’, while chatting to Jamie Foxx in 2018.
In the interview for Grey Goose Vodka, Washington was quizzed about his lengthy career in showbiz, as well as how he ventured into directing and producing as well as acting.
Take a look at it here:
Denzel Washington turned down role in Se7en
Grey Goose Vodka/YouTube
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After Washington explained that he was inspired to expand his wheelhouse because he ‘likes new challenges’, Foxx asked whether he ‘ever says no’.
The Training Day actor then responded: “I turned down Se7en. They wanted me to play the Brad Pitt part.
“I thought the script was too demonic.
“Then I saw the movie, and I was like ‘Oh, I blew it!’ But, you know, it worked out alright.”
To be fair to Washington, he did have a lot going on that year too – as he was also starring in Crimson Tide, Virtuosity and Devil in a Blue Dress.
Denzel Washington revealed the reason why he turned down a role in Se7en (Ivan Romano/Getty Images)
Pitt ended up being offered the role of Mills instead and took the character in a drastically different direction than what Washington would probably have.
The pair have very different approaches to acting, so their portrayals of the idealistic detective would be like chalk and cheese.
The dynamic between Washington and Freeman’s character would have also been a lot different to the way things played out between The Shawshank Redemption star and Pitt.
Needless to say, Washington would have no doubt put his own stamp on Se7en – but I guess we will just have to use our imaginations to work out what that would have looked like.Featured Image Credit: Steve Granitz/FilmMagic/Getty Images/New Line Cinema
Topics: Celebrity, TV and Film, Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman
Olivia Burke
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Published 16:51 14 Dec 2024 GMT
Matthew McConaughey missed out on iconic Titanic role that could have changed entire movie
The actor nearly changed the entire course of the James Cameron film as we know it
We all know and love Titanic, but what would it have been like had the casting director gone for Matthew McConaughey in one of the key characters?
We all know how that movie went, and it was absolutely tragic.
I’ll run through it again to bring up your past trauma surrounding Jack Dawson and that piece of floating door.
Basically, James Cameron’s 1997 flick Titanic starred Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio as they told the tale of a fictional couple onboard the real-life wreckage of the British RMS Titanic in 1912.
Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet were the best duo (Paramount Pictures)
DiCaprio played Jack Dawson in the romance movie while Winslet portrayed his love interest, Rose DeWitt Bukater.
The pair fall in love, despite the fact that Rose is engaged to a right n*b head, and they go on to have some fantastic and iconic scenes together.
We’re thinking about the hand print in the car, aren’t we?
Anyway, it all goes to sh*t in the end when the ship starts to sink after hitting an iceberg and Rose and Jack end up in the icy waters.
By the way, that was actually filmed in a pool.
Then, there came a floating door, which clearly could have fit two people on it, but Cameron decided to hurt everyone for the next few decades when he had Jack freeze to death in the ocean.
Right, now that I’ve got that out of the way, here’s how it could have gone had they chosen someone else to play Jack.
McConaughey admitted that he was reportedly handpicked picked by Paramount Studios to play Jack, but ended up missing out on the role.
The actor spoke about it on Rob Lowe’s podcast Literally! with Rob Lowe in 2021 and shared how it all went down.
Matthew McConaughey could have been Jack (Paramount Pictures)
He recalled: “So I went and read with Kate Winslet and it was not one of the auditions – they filmed it so it was like into screen test time.
“After we left, you know, it was one of those ones where they, like, followed me and when we got outside they were like, ‘That went great.’ I mean, kind of, like, hugs.
“I really thought it was going to happen. It did not.”
Had he been casted it may have changed the course of the film.
Obviously, we all know of Leo and Kate, but what about Matthew and Kate?
It just doesn’t have the same ring to it.
If he’d of been Jack in 1997, that means we wouldn’t have gotten the masterpiece that was Contact which saw him star alongside Jodie Foster in the alien sci-fi flick.
Compared to Titanic, his portfolio was right up there for thriller and suspense films.
So, maybe it was a good job he never got it.Featured Image Credit: Rick Kern/Getty Images/Paramount Pictures
Topics: Kate Winslet, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matthew McConaughey, Film, Titanic
Britt Jones
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Updated 12:18 20 Dec 2024 GMTPublished 12:06 20 Dec 2024 GMT
11 Love Actually stars have died 21 years since iconic Christmas movie
Love Actually was made all the more special thanks to its stellar cast
Love Actually is and always will be an iconic Christmas film, and it was made all the more special thanks to the cast and crew on set.
However, not everyone knows that in the 21 years following its release, 11 cast members have died.
Love Actually Trailer
Credit: Universal Pictures
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The legendary Christmas classic has been blessing our screens for years now and it’s somewhat of a tradition to pop it on each year and cry, laugh and love all over again.
Love Actually is a flick which features a number of couples and couples-to-be and follows their journeys through the holidays, with it ultimately ending with love.
Audiences fell in love with those who appeared on their screens throughout the flick and will be devastated to know what some of those people are no longer with us.
Let’s take a look at who we’ve loved and lost through the film…
Michael Parkinson
Michael Parkinson played himself (Universal Pictures)
Parkinson played himself as the beloved TV host who interviewed Bill Nighy’s character, Billy Mack.
The presenter was known for his BBC career as well as being one of the original presenters on Good Morning, Britain before his death on 16 August 2023 following a brief illness aged 88.
Jeanne Moreau
Moreau had a brief moment on the film as taxi passenger Marseille Airport who went uncredited in the film.
She died on 31 July, 2017 at her home in Paris at the age of 89 and was discovered by her maid.
Meg Wynn Owen
Owen got her part in the film as Mary, the PM’s secretary and we got to see her attempt to deal with Hugh Grant’s personal affairs in the flick.
The actress she suffered from dementia and died in June 2022, aged 82.
Wyllie Longmore
Wyllie Longmore played the PMs associate (Universal Pictures)
Longmore plated an associate of the Prime Minister called Jeremy in the film and also worked on Coronation Street in the 80s.
The actor sadly died of cancer on 4 January 2023, aged 82.
Sheila Allen
Allen played the role of as Jamie’s (Collin Firth) mum in the flick, and was seen briefly by fans.
It was when Jamie decided to ditch his family on Christmas to chase after his soon-to-be fiancé, that we saw Allen beg her son: “But, Jamie, darling!”.
Allen tragically died in London on 13 October 2011, aged 78.
Alan Rickman
Alan Rickman played Harry in the iconic festive flick (Universal Pictures)
Rickman’s death was something that shocked the TV and film industry, and probably led to people no longer hating his character, Harry, who tried to cheat on his wife, Karen with his office assistant.
Rickman was known for his decades of work on screen, including the Harry Potter franchise in which he played Professor Snape.
Sadly, in 2015, Rickman had a minor stroke, which then led to his diagnosis of pancreatic cancer which was terminal.
Less than a year later, the actor died from his cancer at the age of 69.
Gillian Barge
Barge played the cabinet minister in the film, and this would be her last film role ever.
Such as the case with Hall, Barge also unfortunately passed away in 2003 after being diagnosed with cancer. She was 63.
Margery Mason
You’ll remember when Grant’s character was frantically trying to find out where Martine McCutcheon’s Natalie lived when he ended up at Harris Street where an old lady answered and clocked who he was. Yep, that was Mason.
She was 90 at the time and retired from acting that same year before her death at the amazing age of 100 in 2014.
Lynden David Hall
Lynden David Hall had an incredibly memorable role in Love Actually (Universal Pictures)
You’ll know Hall if you heard his voice, as he was the man who was enlisted as the wedding singer for Kiera Knightley and Chiwetel Ejiofor’s characters, singing the Beatles’ ‘All You Need Is Love’.
However, the same year that the film was released, Hall’s life was tragically cut short.
In October 2003, Hall was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma and he died on 14 February 2006, aged 31, from complications from a stem cell transplant he received the year before.
Caroline John
John was Sam’s (Thomas Brodie-Sangster) grandmother in the film who we briefly saw on screen. Little did you know that John previously played the role of the Doctor’s companion in 1970 alongside Jon Pertwee’s Third Doctor.
Unfortunately, John would too be diagnosed with cancer and die in 2021 at age 71.
Edward Hardwicke
Hardwicke was young Sam’s grandfather, and was well known for his theatre work.
Sadly, Hardwicke died on 16 May 2011 of cancer at a hospice.Featured Image Credit: Universal Pictures
Topics: Health, Film, TV and Film, Celebrity, Cancer
Britt Jones
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Updated 19:56 28 Nov 2024 GMTPublished 19:55 28 Nov 2024 GMT
Margot Robbie defends her movie that became box office flop and is confused over why viewers ‘hated’ it
The actress and new mum, 34, says she still ‘can’t figure out’ why the film bombed nearly two years on
Margot Robbie says she still can’t get her head around why one of her movies completely bombed at the box office.
The actress, 34, might be used to Barbie-levels of success, but her Babylon co-stars can’t say the same for themselves.
Take a look at the trailer here:
Babylon trailer
Paramount Pictures
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Although Damien Chazelle’s drama had a bumper budget and an all-star cast, his project just didn’t perform well upon its release in December 2022.
However, his female lead still holds out hope that it might make a killer comeback – as Robbie confessed that two years on, she still ‘can’t figure out’ why people didn’t love it.
She starred in Babylon alongside industry titans including Brad Pitt, Tobey Maguire, Diego Calva, Jean Smart and Olivia Wilde.
The film is pretty much centred around the debauchery of early Hollywood, detailing the rise and fall of a series of chaotic characters who navigate ‘unbridled decadence and depravity’.
Loosely based on real-life figures, Babylon’s synopsis describes it as a ‘tale of outright ambition and outrageous excess’.
Robbie, seen alongside Calva, reckons that Babylon deserves a lot more appreciation than it received (Paramount Pictures)
And seen as though an uncensored trailer for it featured Robbie ‘snorting’ the Paramount logo and it begins with a ‘party-slash-orgy’ scene, it seemed as though it was guaranteed to be a hit.
However, the film didn’t exactly get the reception that the director and cast were hoping for.
Robbie – who plays aspiring starlet Nellie LaRoy in the film – recently discussed it flopping at the box office during an appearance on The Talking Pictures podcast.
“I don’t get it either,” she began.
The actress still hopes it could be a big success (Paramount Pictures)
“I know I am biased because I am very close to the project and I obviously believe in it, but I still can’t figure out why people hated it.”
But the new mum – who welcomed a baby boy with British actor and film producer Tom Ackerley earlier this month – hasn’t given up on it yet.
She continued: “I wonder if in 20 years people are going to be like, ‘Wait, Babylon didn’t do well at the time?’
“Like when you hear that Shawshank Redemption was a failure at the time and you’re like like, ‘How is that possible?’”
According to reports, Babylon grossed $63million worldwide after its release, which wasn’t too good considering the production budget was around $80 million.
Ultimately, it ended up costing Paramount – and even though it earned five Golden Globes and three Oscar nominations, it only took one gong home in the end.
Babylon didn’t fare much better on Rotten Tomatoes either, as it’s only got an approval rating of a measly 57 percent.
The fact it’s three hours and eight minutes long probably didn’t do it any favours either but it’s clear Robbie stands firmly by it.Featured Image Credit: FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images/Paramount Pictures
Topics: Margot Robbie, TV and Film, Brad Pitt, Celebrity
Olivia Burke
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Updated 17:16 2 Jun 2024 GMT+1Published 17:11 2 Jun 2024 GMT+1
Se7en fans stunned after realising we did actually see what was ‘in the box’ in another movie
It’s pretty crazy when you realise
Fans of David Fincher’s Se7en have been left stunned after releasing they’ve seen what was ‘in the box’ in another movie.
The critically-acclaimed American crime thriller follows retired police detective William Somerset (Morgan Freeman) who – on his last ever case – is forced to work with newly transferred David Mills (Brad Pitt).
The pair reluctantly clash heads on a number of gruesome murder cases and soon realise they are dealing with a cold-blooded killer.
Se7en trailer
New Line Cinema
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Serial killer John Doe (Kevin Spacey) is targeting people who he thinks represent one of the seven deadly sins.
As the pair of detectives gain each other’s respect, Somerset also befriends Mills’ wife, Tracy (Gwyneth Paltrow).
She is pregnant and is afraid to raise her child in the city.
Now, if not you’ve seen the 1995 film, there’s a big 29-year-old spoiler that I’m about to share.
In the final act, the killer lures the detectives to a secure location, bringing along with him a box containing Tracy’s severed head.
A prop of her head was created for Se7en, but we don’t actually see it in the movie.
The highly rated film was one that took Brad Pitt’s career to new heights. (New Line Cinema)
However, taking to TikTok, film expert Glittering Ghostwriter has revealed in a recent video that Paltrow’s head prop was actually used in the 2011 movie Contagion.
The film follows healthcare professionals, government officials and everyday people who find themselves in the midst of a pandemic as the CDC works to find a cure.
The likes of Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Jude Law and Paltrow, all star in the thriller.
“I mean, obviously in Se7en we technically know what is in the box. We just never physically see what’s in the box,” the TikToker explains.
“But that’s not because the box was empty. The creators of Se7en actually did intend to show us Gwyneth Paltrow’s severed head, but in the end, they decided it would build up more tension and mystery if we just never saw it.
We know what was in the box. (Warner Bros)
” And I have to agree with the creators on this, but like I also am, personally, curious to see the prop that they created.
“And if you are too you can, as long as you watch the movie Contagion. Because the prop from Se7en was actually used in Contagion.
“In the scene where Gwyneth Paltrow’s character has an autopsy done on her, they have to like cut into her head.
“And since they already had a perfectly good unused prop of Gwyneth Paltrow’s severed head they just use that for the scene in Contagion.”
After making the realisation, users shared their thoughts in the comments.
One wrote: “That is one of the coolest fun facts ever!”
Another added: “Two of my favourite movies and I never knew that fact.”
While a third commented: “Now THAT’S a fun fact.”
So, there you go.