The Surprising John Hughes Classic Johnny Depp Passed On
His career might not be what it used to be, but Johnny Depp certainly has more than his share of bonafide classics to his name. But were it not for a fateful decision made by the actor early in his heyday as a film star, we might be able to add another title to the list of perennial favorites like "Edward Scissorhands" and the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies anchored by Depp in the leading role. And if director John Hughes (the man behind plenty of familiar popular classics in his own right, including "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" and "The Breakfast Club") had gotten what he wanted, he would have cast Depp in the title role of one of his most iconic and enduring films.
Fans can argue whether or not Depp would have made this role work as well as the actor who ended up playing him, but the notion of Depp playing the character is a fascinating one regardless.
Depp was Hughes's first choice for Ferris Bueller
Characters and actors don't get much more intractably intertwined than irascible truant Ferris Bueller and Matthew Broderick, who played the character to unforgettable effect in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off." But writer/director John Hughes originally wanted Depp to play the role (per People).
Keep in mind, this was way back in the mid-1980s, when Depp was largely known as a moody teen heartthrob rather than the eccentric leading man he would become after several collaborations with director Tim Burton. His take on Ferris Bueller would have likely been more serious in tone than Broderick's, but that's mere speculation. In any event, Depp had to turn the role down due to those always pesky "scheduling conflicts," and the rest is teen movie history.
Many years later, on an appearance on "Inside the Actor's Studio," Depp was asked about his opinion of Broderick's performance in the role that could have been his. According to Depp, Broderick did a "great job."