Stars Who Turned Down TV Roles On 'Breaking Bad,' 'The Shield,' 'Sex And The City' And More

23 Stars Who Turned Down Major TV Roles

"Breaking Bad" wouldn't be the same with anyone other than Bryan Cranston as Walter White; Sarah Jessica Parker made the role of Carrie Bradshaw on "Sex and the City"; and Michael Chiklis is "The Shield's" Vic Mackey. But what if someone else had taken these roles?

We thought we'd round up some big TV roles that almost looked very different, on the heels of some huge casting-that-almost-was news: "The Shield" creator Shawn Ryan tweeting that the network originally wanted Eric Stoltz to play the corrupt leading LAPD officer, and that both Matthew Broderick and John Cusack were up for the lead on "Breaking Bad" before Cranston was cast.

Not only was "Lost" good guy Jack Shepard supposed to die in the pilot, but he was also supposed to be played by someone else. Another TV star turned down the role of Don Draper on "Mad Men" and Sarah Michelle Gellar originally auditioned to play Cordelia on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," while a recently divorced, fellow WB alum was the first pick to play the titular vampire slayer.

Click through our gallery to see more stars who turned down big TV roles:

Ray Liotta as Tony Soprano, "The Sopranos"

Stars' Missed TV Opportunities

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