30 iconic Star Wars roles that almost went to different actors

2. Anakin Skywalker (Leonardo DiCaprio)

Think back to the premiere of Attack of the Clones in 2002 and try to recall who some of the hottest names in showbiz at the time. Did you think of Leonardo DiCaprio? Just a few years prior, Titanic had won the Academy Award for Best Picture and Leo had become a household name. He was also considered for the role of Anakin Skywalker.

Like for any role, George Lucas considered hundreds of actors to portray the older version of Jake Lloyd’s Anakin Skywalker. Unsurprisingly, Lucas considered unknown actors (like Hayden Christensen) and big-name celebrities (like DiCaprio) to bring to life the early years of Darth Vader’s tragic downfall.

Back in 2015, DiCaprio revealed in an interview that he had met with Lucas for the role, but ultimately decided he wasn’t ready to take on a role like that. Based on the interview, it seems like DiCaprio was hesitant to take on superhero or sci-fi roles, which have a long history of being disregarded by serious Oscar-contenders. Instead, DiCaprio went on to star in Gangs of New York and Catch Me If You Can. While it may be hard to imagine anyone other than Hayden Christensen in the role, you have to admit that DiCaprio would have made a fantastic Anakin.