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Turn Down Girl

[Blind Gossip] This actress from a famous acting family was overheard talking about the movie roles she was offered but turned down.

She said she turned down the lead in Thelma and Louise, the lead in Breaking The Waves, and the lead in L.A. Confidential.

She wasn’t saying this in a sad way, but more of a smacks herself upside the head, “What was I thinking?” kind of way!

All of those roles went on to gain Oscar nominations/wins for the actresses who took the parts. Our actress has never won an Academy Award. Perhaps if she keeps working, she will score an Oscar of her own someday!

Similar: Oscar Restraint

Actress:

[Optional] Which movie of hers is your favorite?

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. For some reason Bridget Fonda comes to mind, but she hasn’t done much in recent years. Has she retired from acting?

  6. Melanie Griffith, daughter of Tippi Hedron
    “if she keeps working…” hint for Working Girl, which Melanie was in, and is one if my favourites of hers.

    What a different career she might have had had she taken those roles…

    • I never understood why she chose to play the mom in Lolita. The girl out acted her and stole every scene, and she looked old before her time. Annoying, unlikeable role, she should’ve given that to someone else tbh.

    • She also turned down Taxi Driver, Pulp Fiction, The Grifters, Jurassic Park.
      So many great movies she turned down. I guess she can only blame herself.

    • The god she turned down those roles. She never had the acting chops to pull off an Oscar win.

  11. I think this might be Melanie Griffith because of the timing and the working reference

  12. Melanie Griffith, bubblehead that she’s always been? “Working (Girl)” ought to be enough of a hint.

    I do like Working Girl, along with Something Wild & RKO 281

  19. Patricia Arquette (I think Drew Barrymore is too young to have played the lead in LA Confidential)

    • Plus i love Drew but wasn’t the female lead the Veronica Lake lookalike played by Kim Bassinger? In a million years do you see Drew doing that role. She is wonderful but is known more for comedy or drama not as a staight up sex pot. Now Melanie Griffith as a breathy hooker cut to look like a famous movie star might have worked. Maybe a Marilyn Monroe type?

  20. Jamie Lee Curtis?

    I like Trading Places. She’s great but I really can’t picture her in Breaking the Waves. The others, definitely.

    • I think this is it. Her age is appropriate to have played leads in those movies, her parents are well regarded actors, and her father has a couple Oscars. Laura’s been nominated twice. I hope she gets the award.

  30. I want to say Bridget Fonda.

    Clue: “if she keeps working” might allude to the fact that she hasn’t acted in anything since 2002.

  31. I’ll take a guess and say Annette Bening. She’s from a famous acting family (Warren Beatty, Shirley MacLaine) and she has been nominated 4 times for an Oscar but has yet to win one.

  36. Melanie Griffith; clue “working”.
    Favorite Movie: Born Yesterday with Don Johnson, Edward Hermann and John Goodman. It may be a little uneven, but she’s a delight.

  41. Michelle Pfeiffer? I know she was up to play either Thelma or Louise. And is sans Oscar.

    White Oleander and Frankie and Johnny. Favourite Catwoman as well.

  49. Changing answer to Bridget Fonda!

    She was great in Singles, but she’s pretty much retired now.

  50. Melanie Griffith.
    I loved Working Girl…and that’s one of the clues…”if she keeps working.”

  53. Melanie Griffith!
    Mom: Tippi Hedren
    Daughter: Dakota Johnson

    Favorite movie: Working Girl!

  59. Jennifer Jason Leigh. Born in Hollywood. Father, actor. Mother, screenwriter. She had a hot, highly acclaimed career in the 90’s (Last Exit to Brooklyn, Dolores Clairborne, Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle, Single White Female). Film critics adored her. She was notorious for turning down projects. Never pursued “movie star” public life, like her contemporaries (i.e. Goopy). Considered to be very private person. One Oscar nomination: Best Supporting Actress (2016), for The Hateful Eight.

    • Favourite movie: she’s amazing in everything. But I thought her performance in Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle was astonishing.

  61. Acting family. Maybe Drew Barrymore? I was gonna say Patricia Arquette but she has an Oscar

  63. Melanie Griffith, daughter of Tippi Hedren
    clue: working girl, it’s known that she turned down Thelma & Louise
    Favorite movie: Working Girl, of course!

  64. Melanie Griffith

    Favorite movie: Working Girl, the only Oscar she was ever nominated for.

  66. Melanie Griffith
    Mom & Dad: Tippi Hedren – known from Alred Hitchcock “The Birds” Peter Griffith – Child Broadway actor.

    Won golden globes, never Oscar – was nominated for “Working Girl”.

    Did turn down a role in Thelma and Louise. Not sure about the others.

    This was a hard guess for me.

  68. She would have to be someone Susan Sarandon’s age so … Candice Bergen? I’m a fan of Candice Bergen but don’t have a favorite. I did just see her in home again and she was just as beautiful as ever. I always did like watching Murphy Brown though.

  72. Could this be Demi Moore? That timeline fits, I think. I can’t think of too many actresses from that time period who would be cast in those roles don’t also have Oscars.

  75. I’m going w/ Melanie Griffith. She was perfect for Working Girl but I sure can’t envision her in those other movies (not w/ that lispy way she *always* talks).