'He was too handsome!' Guy Pearce almost missed out on his famous role in Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert...because director Stephan Elliot thought he was too 'pretty'

By Daniel Van Boom for Daily Mail Australia

Published: 23:18 EST, 13 June 2015 | Updated: 02:46 EST, 14 June 2015

The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert did great things for Australian cinema and helped launch Guy Pearce to international superstardom.

But director Stephan Elliot has revealed he originally didn't want to cast Guy in the 1994 comedy-drama, which followed the adventures of three drag queens.

'The honest truth is that I didn't want him,' Stephan told the Herald Sun. 'I said "he is too pretty". He was too handsome.'

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Close call: Guy Pearce almost didn't get his role in 1994's The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert due to his being 'too pretty'

Close call: Guy Pearce almost didn't get his role in 1994's The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert due to his being 'too pretty'

At the time 47-year-old Guy was best known as Mike Young thanks to his three-year stint on Neighbours, but was able to show a different side of himself as Adam Whitely and Adam's drag alter ego Felicia Jollygoodfellow.

'For him, I think it was a chance to go out and kill Mike from Neighbours...when he was in character, he could do everything that Mike from Neighbours could never be allowed to do,' Stephen added. 

Priscilla, Queen of the Desert was a big success, drawing just under $AU30million at the box office versus its budget of $AU1.9million.

The film helped Guy score his first big international role in 1997's L.A. Confidential, which also starred Kevin Spacey and Russell Crowe. 

Reservations: Director Stephan Elliot told News Corp that he was reluctant to cast Guy in the comedy film, which was a huge hit for Australian cinema 
Reservations: Director Stephan Elliot told News Corp that he was reluctant to cast Guy in the comedy film, which was a huge hit for Australian cinema

Reservations: Director Stephan Elliot told the Herald Sun that he was reluctant to cast Guy in the comedy film, which was a huge hit for Australian cinema

Pretty boy: At the time he was most known for his role as Mike Young in Neighbours

Pretty boy: At the time he was most known for his role as Mike Young in Neighbours

Guy has been spending time in New York recently promoting his latest project, indie flick Results.

The film is a romantic comedy also starring US actress Cobie Smulders, who he posed alongside in the Big Apple at the Magnolia Pictures premiere last month.

Next month, filming begins for Pearce's next work, Brimstone, co-starring Game of Thrones actress, Carice Van Houten. 

On the job: Guy has been spending time in New York recently promoting his latest project, indie flick Results. He's seen here with director Andrew Bujalski and co-stars Cobie Smulders and Kevin Corrigan  

On the job: Guy has been spending time in New York recently promoting his latest project, indie flick Results. He's seen here with director Andrew Bujalski and co-stars Cobie Smulders and Kevin Corrigan  

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