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I wonder if Damon and Gyllenhaal are kicking themselves? According to an article recently, both Jason Bourne AND Donnie Darko (as I like to call them) passed on the Jake Sully role in box-office monster Avatar before it went to Sam Worthington.

The good Lord James Cameron reckons he only offered it to the A-listers to keep the studio happy - for him it was Sam all along. Not bad for an actor who was apparently living in his car before he got the call. Didn't Darren Day do that for a bit too?

Finding out who turned down roles is an intoxicating glimpse into what might have been.
Sean Connery was offered roles in both The Matrix (as The Architect) and Lord Of The Rings (as Gandalf) but said no because they were too confusing. Okay Sean. You mean The League Of The Gentleman actually made sense?

Will Smith also passed on a role in The Matrix, as Neo, whilst Ozzy Osbourne was the first choice for The Green Fairy in Moulin Rouge! Kylie got the actual role and I know who I'd prefer to see in a glittery bodice. Other famous 'thanks but no thanks' include Sly Stallone as Han Solo in Star Wars and Brad Pitt in About A Boy. When you're that famous, all the scripts end up on your desk and not even The Pitt can do two movies at the same time. Hence passing on Apollo 13, Charlie & The Chocolate Factory, The Bourne Identity, The Departed and the film that everyone seems to have turned their plastic-surgeoned noses up at, The Matrix.

The stars themselvse rarely like to talk about their mistakes. I once asked Gyllenhaal about how he lost out to McGregor for the role of Christian in Moulin Rouge! and, as he rightly said, there's no point in looking back. For us punters it's slightly different though. If Big Willy had agreed to the Wachowski Brothers sci-fi groundbreaker all those years ago, we might have had another Fresh Prince theme tune to add to 'Men In Black' and 'Wild Wild West'.