Disney is a hotbed of A-list talent, and it has been for several years. Whether it's their animated features, Disney Channel shows, or live-action films, Disney has both boosted and started countless careers.
But not everyone has gotten in on the action. There remain several stars who either never have, or never will, touch a Disney project. Some never got the chance, some passed on Disney projects, and others just don't want to associate with the company. These 11 iconic stars have never touched a Disney project, but some did come very close.
11 Martin Short
Robin Williams as the Genie in Aladdin is one of the most iconic Disney characters. Williams brought the Genie to life thanks to his high energy, perfect timing, and his hilarious celebrity impressions. But Williams came close to losing out on the role to other comedy icons, and one of them was Martin Short. While Short is hilarious in movies like Three Amigos or his television show Only Murderers In The Building he is not exactly the high-energy type of comedian that Disney needed for the Genie, but Williams was.
10 Marlon Brando
Brando turned down numerous roles throughout his career, including roles in some of the greatest films of all time, like Lawrence of Arabia and One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest. He was also considered for the role of Bill Sykes, the hateful villain in Oliver and Company. Producers did everything to cater to Brando to get him to take the role, and he was close to doing it, but he backed out of the project at the last minute. Sykes would end up being played by Robert Loggia, who Family Guy fans remember from one of the show's oldest cutaway gags but was also in films like Scarface and Big.
9 Joe Pesci
Pesci retired from acting a few years after his Oscar win for Goodfellas, only to occasionally return for films directed by his friends Robert De Niro (The Good Shepard) or Martin Scorcese (The Irishman). Disney considered casting him as Mushu, the smart-mouthed miniature dragon from Mulan, a role that would end up going to Eddie Murphy. The movie would have taken an odd turn if Mushu had the thick New York accent of Pesci's
8 Jack Nicholson
Nicholson was not one for cutesy kid movies, most of his roles are in films that are not family-friendly. He played a debaucherous prisoner faking mental illness in One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest, a sex-crazed drug lord in The Departed, and an alcoholic murderer in The Shining. Yet, despite this tendency of his, Disney still considered him for the role of Hades in Hercules, a role that would end up going to James Woods.
7 Martin Sheen
Martin Sheen has never done an official Disney film, but he has technically worked for Disney. He never performed in any official Disney canon film, like Aladdin or Hercules, but he did do a film for Touchstone pictures called The War At Home where he played a judge. Sheen may or may not do a Walt Disney Production at some point, but as of 2022, he has never signed on to such a project.
6 Tom Waits
Waits does more underground, subtle roles than anything else, but he is still a favorite casting choice for legendary directors Francis Ford Coppola and Jim Jarmusch. The musician/actor opts for grittier roles like the Gold Miner in The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, or as himself in the film Coffee and Cigarettes. Waits will probably never do a Disney project because he has worked very hard to maintain an anti-corporate image. He will even take companies to court for trying to copy his sound after he refuses to work for them. Since Disney is one of the largest corporations in the world, Waits is not likely to do business with them any time soon.
5 Leonardo DiCaprio
DiCaprio came close to being in the popular Disney Halloween film Hocus Pocus when he was still a child actor. He was considered to play Max, and he was offered a very generous paycheck for the role according to ScreenRant. However, he passed on the family film to do a more serious project, What's Eating Gilbert Grape, in which he co-starred with Johnny Depp.
4 Gregory Peck
Peck is one of the most iconic actors who lived in the 20th century thanks to his portrayal of Atticus Finch in To Kill A Mockingbird. Peck was also considered for a role in Pocahontas, and the writers created a role just for him. Peck was supposed to play Old Man River, a living voice of nature whom Pocahontas would seek out for advice. However, Peck thought it would make more sense if the voice of nature was played by a woman, and he backed out of the project. If the role sounds familiar to fans of the film that is because it was reworked into Grandmother Willow, who was played by Linda Hunt.
3 Woody Allen
Disney might have dodged a bullet with this one because Allen has some very disturbing sexual allegations levied against him. Having an actor like that attached to a children's film could have been a PR nightmare for Disney, yet he was still considered for the role of Tantor the elephant in Tarzan. Allen passed on the role to instead work on the animated film Antz with Dreamworks.
2 Sir Patrick Stewart
The knighted star of Star Trek passed on Disney not once, but twice. He was offered the roles of Cogsworth in Beauty and the Beast and the role of Jafar in Aladdin. Stewart has said he regrets passing on the films, but he was obliged to because it conflicted with filming episodes of Star Trek.
1 Jim Carrey
Okay, this one is just out there, Jim Carrey was considered for the role of Jack Sparrow in Pirates of The Caribbean. Yes, the role that iconically went to Johnny Depp almost went to the man who played Ace Ventura and The Mask. While Depp brought both comedy and charisma to the role, one could only imagine what Carrey would have brought to the film.
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