Hollywood is filled with stories of success. But the often-overlooked parts are those stars who were on the verge of walking away just days before their careers finally took off.
The entertainment industry is unpredictable, and some of the biggest stars today got their breakthrough at the very last possible moment. Here are 10 actors who nearly quit Hollywood right before landing the roles that changed everything.
10. Amy Adams
Amy Adams once told Vanity Fair that by the time she reached her early 30s, she was ready to give up on Hollywood. Despite years of hard work, she wasn’t seeing any substantial results and was ready to step away from the industry altogether.
But Adams was determined to give herself one last chance and continued attending a few auditions. Fortunately, one of those auditions landed her the role of Princess Giselle in ‘Enchanted’, and she went on to feature three times in the rankings of the world’s highest-paid actresses.
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9. Jacob Elordi
Despite starring in the hit movie ‘The Kissing Booth’, Jacob Elordi told GQ that he was struggling to find work in Hollywood. He was living out of his car on Mulholland Drive with only about $400–$800 left in his bank.
Elordi was preparing to leave Los Angeles and return to Australia. But his last audition landed him the role of Nate Jacobs on ‘Euphoria’. The role changed everything for him, and he decided to continue working.
8. Daniel Kaluuya
Even future Oscar winners are not immune to periods of uncertainty when it comes to Hollywood. In an interview with Essence, Daniel Kaluuya revealed that he was deeply disillusioned with acting after going for almost two years without finding any meaningful work.
He was left questioning whether he should even continue pursuing the profession at all. Kaluuya came very close to walking away, until he landed the role of Chris Washington in Jordan Peele’s ‘Get Out’.
7. Melissa McCarthy
During an interview with Howard Stern, Melissa McCarthy revealed that success came at the very last moment for her. She had given herself a firm deadline: if she didn’t make it as an actor by the time she turned 30, she would move on and pursue another path.
At the time, McCarthy was juggling multiple jobs, including working as a barista, while continuing to attend auditions. Just one week before her 30th birthday in August 2000, McCarthy landed the role of Sookie St. James on ‘Gilmore Girls’.
6. Gal Gadot
Even though Gal Gadot was already established in the industry after her appearance in the ‘Fast & Furious’ franchise, she was convinced that acting wasn’t the right path for her. In an interview with Access Hollywood, she admitted that years of constant rejection had left her exhausted.
During a two-week trip to Los Angeles, she came very close to passing on a particular audition. Fortunately, she decided to attend, and that audition landed her the role of Wonder Woman.
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5. Millie Bobby Brown
Millie Bobby Brown began acting at the age of just 8 years old. At the time, she secured a number of small television roles, but the challenges of being a child actor started to wear her out.
In an interview with Jimmy Fallon, she revealed that she was getting discouraged by the industry and decided to step away. But then she got the role of Eleven in the hit series ‘Stranger Things’. The role instantly made her a global star, earning her a Primetime Emmy nomination at the age of 13.
4. Henry Cavill
Before becoming Superman, Henry Cavill spent years struggling to get a role in Hollywood. In an interview on The Graham Norton Show, Cavill explained that despite regularly auditioning, he wasn’t landing any role because studios often favored big names.
This left him feeling stuck and uncertain about his future in the industry. At one point, he considered abandoning acting altogether and joining the armed forces. However, things began changing when his screen test for a James Bond movie started circulating within Hollywood, leading to him booking the role of Clark Kent in ‘Man of Steel’.
3. John Krasinski
In an interview with Stephen Colbert, John Krasinski revealed that he was truly ready to give up on Hollywood after struggling to find success. Frustrated by the lack of opportunity, he was planning to move back home to Massachusetts and become an English teacher.
It was September at that time, and his mother convinced him to stick it out till the end of the year. Just three weeks later, Krasinski landed the role of Jim Halpert in ‘The Office’.
2. Robert Pattinson
Speaking on the HFPA in Conversation podcast, Pattinson recalled being convinced that he had completely ruined his audition for ‘Twilight’. The experience left him completely defeated. Afterward, he called his parents and told them he was done with acting.
Tired of constant rejection and disappointment, he no longer wanted to put himself through the humiliation. Then unexpectedly, he received a call back, where he was ultimately cast as Edward Cullen, a role that turned him into a global superstar and one of the defining teen idols of the late 2000s.
1. Matt LeBlanc
Before becoming one of television’s most beloved faces, Matt LeBlanc was on the verge of giving up. In an interview with Conan O’Brien, LeBlanc revealed that he had just $11 left in his bank account when his audition for ‘Friends’ came along.
He admitted that he had seriously considered surrendering and finding a “real job” instead. Fortunately, he decided to keep going a little longer, and his struggles paid off when he landed the role of Joey Tribbiani in ‘Friends’.
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