Rachel McAdams had turned down some major films (Photo Credit – Instagram)
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McAdams opened up about turning down major roles between 2006 and 2008. Imagine this: Casino Royale, Iron Man, The Devil Wears Prada, Mission: Impossible III, and Get Smart were all on her list, but she passed them up. Now, McAdams reflects with a blend of regret and relief.
In a new Bustle profile, McAdams admits, “I felt guilty for not capitalising on the opportunity that I was being given, because I knew I was in such a lucky spot.” She adds, “But I also knew it wasn’t quite jiving with my personality and what I needed to stay sane.” Classic Rachel, always balancing ambition with personal well-being.
With McAdams, Casino Royale and The Devil Wears Prada would have seemed different. Anne Hathaway’s Andrea in The Devil Wears Prada was wonderful, and Eva Green’s Vesper Lynd gave Casino Royale a chilly charm. She had charm that suited Meryl Streep’s fashionista employer. Those jobs found their perfect match.
Mission: Impossible III? Meh, not much of a loss. McAdams would have taken on the role that Michelle Monaghan snagged—an uninspiring part that didn’t make much of an impact. And Get Smart? Let’s just say it’s not exactly a film that goes down in history as a classic. So, no biggie there.
Now, Iron Man is where things get spicy. McAdams was eyed for Pepper Potts, but her passing meant Gwyneth Paltrow took the role. Sure, Paltrow and Robert Downey Jr. have an age gap, but it’s less than what McAdams would have had. Plus, there’s a chance McAdams might have been cast in a less memorable part instead, like Leslie Bibb’s role, which pretty much flew under the radar. And who could forget that McAdams’s availability for Doctor Strange meant she got stuck in a role that felt like a missed opportunity?
But here’s the twist: McAdams’s choices led her to something even more special. After her hiatus, she returned with a string of roles that didn’t exactly make waves—think love interests in The Vow and About Time, or the unfortunate fate of her character in Southpaw. She even appeared in the less-than-stellar season of True Detective.
Yet, had she taken those big roles, who knows if she’d have found her way to Game Night? That movie is where McAdams truly shined. McAdams owned the screen as Annie in Game Night with her spot-on comedic timing and magnetic presence. It’s hard to picture anyone else nailing that role with the same flair.
Looking back, McAdams’s choices might have seemed risky, but they carved out her unique career path. If she’d been typecast as a Bond girl or superhero sidekick, we might’ve missed her brilliance in Game Night. Sometimes, it seems like the universe has a way of working things out—and for Rachel McAdams, it led to one of her standout performances.
