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Everyone can agree that Kate Winslet was absolutely perfect as Rose in Titanic. Back then, all the boys wanted to date her, and all the girls wanted to be her. She looked breathtakingly beautiful in the movie, and the performance she delivered was nothing short of phenomenal.
Kate Winslet in a still from Titanic | Credits: 20th Century Fox/Paramount PicturesShe even managed to convince the entire world that there wasn’t any space left on that wooden door at that pivotal moment. But turns out there was a chance that MCU actress Gwyneth Paltrow could have played Rose instead of Winslet.
Titanic almost had Gwyneth Paltrow as Rose instead of Kate Winslet!
Some movie roles become so iconic that it’s nearly impossible to imagine anyone else playing them. Titanic is a perfect example, cementing Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet as Jack and Rose in the hearts of audiences everywhere.
Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts in the MCU.| Credits: Marvel StudiosTheir bittersweet love story feels so real that many people have wondered if the characters were based on actual historical figures, Google even autofills those questions when you search for anything related to the movie. The connection viewers felt was something truly special, and even decades later, picturing different actors in those roles seems unthinkable even illegal to some extent.
Yet, believe it or not, Rose’s role almost went to another actress entirely. Director James Cameron was determined to avoid predictable casting, which brought Gwyneth Paltrow into consideration for the part.
James Cameron wasn’t sold on casting Kate Winslet as Rose right away. In fact, he thought it was too obvious, given her growing reputation for period dramas. In a GQ interview, he said,
So I thought ‘Oh, man, this is going to look like the laziest casting in the world.’
Gwyneth Paltrow, on the other hand, brought a more eclectic mix of roles to the table.
From starring in the chilling thriller Se7en to leading as Emma in a Jane Austen adaptation, Paltrow seemed a plausible choice back then to the director. Though she would later solidify her name in period dramas with Shakespeare in Love, at the time, her versatility made her a serious contender for Titanic’s leading lady.
What Gwyneth Paltrow thinks about losing the Titanic role
Of course, we all know how this story ends. James Cameron ultimately chose Kate Winslet for the role of Rose, falling for her talent and giving her the part that changed cinema history forever.
While this decision was a win for Winslet and truth be told everyone, it left one person out in the cold, Gwyneth Paltrow. Not that Paltrow needed Titanic to boost her career, but there’s no denying what the film did for Winslet.
Losing out on such a massive project could’ve stung, but as it turns out, there doesn’t seem to be any hard feelings from Paltrow’s side. As she once revealed to The Howard Stern Show (via redbookmag.com),
You only get to pick certain movies, When you’re offered Titanic — James Cameron — one of the biggest movies of all time, I don’t know psychologically… I would throw a fit that I turned that down! I know that the story is that I turned it down, I think I was really in contention for it — I was one of the last two.
Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio in Titanic | Credits: Paramount PicturesShe further added,
I look back at the choices I’ve made and think, ‘Why the hell did I say yes to that? And no to that?’ And you know, you look at the big picture and think: There’s a universal lesson here, What good is it to hold onto roles?
What she said is actually true as although the Titanic gig didn’t work out for Gwyneth Paltrow the universe did have bigger plans for her. She still went on to achieve incredible success in the industry. From starring in the MCU to building a GOOP empire, everything eventually fell into place for her.
Titanic is available to stream on Paramount Plus.
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