Actors can’t say yes to every role, and Hollywood is filled with what-ifs. Whether it’s a scheduling conflict, a lack of interest, or a deal that simply falls apart, plenty of actors have missed out on roles that could have changed their careers. Some probably consider themselves lucky to have dodged a bullet, while others are left wondering what might have been. Matt Damon recently spoke with GQ, and when asked if there was a role he regretted turning down, he didn’t hesitate with his answer: Ted.
Matt Damon on Ted
“I never like to say [I regretted it], because I don’t want to live with the regret, but I can tell you that I passed on Ted,” Damon said, “and I’ve never had this experience where I laughed so hard reading a script. I literally took it to dinner and was reading parts of it out to my friends at dinner. And then I just got too clever by half. I don’t know what I was thinking. I was like, Well, maybe the teddy bear’s actually the best part.…“
He continued, “So I overthought it and I talked myself out of it. And because it shot in Boston, it would’ve been a chance for me to be home—my father’s passed away now, and I look back and I go, Man, that would’ve been six months back [home].“
I’m certain Damon would have been great, but Mark Wahlberg did feel like the perfect fit for that role. Damon agrees. “The right actor got the part,” Damon said. “Mark [Wahlberg’s] great, and the movie’s great, and I wouldn’t have made it any better.“
The Ted Franchise
Ted follows John Bennett, a Boston native whose childhood wish brings his teddy bear friend Ted to life. However, in adulthood, their friendship begins to interfere with the progression of John’s work life and his relationship with his girlfriend, Lori Collins. A sequel followed in 2015, as well as a prequel TV series in 2024 that spanned two seasons. An animated series that brings back Wahlberg as the voice of John will premiere on Peacock on December 17.
The description reads: “Picking up twelve years after the conclusion of the last movie, John (Wahlberg) and his thunder-buddy Ted (MacFarlane) are neighbors, both with families of their own and dead-end jobs. Follow these two lovable stoners as they enable each other’s bad ideas about marriage, parenting and the challenges of adult life.“
Would you like to have seen Matt Damon starring in Ted?
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