Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio were among actors who TURNED DOWN opportunity to star in Oscar-winning gay romance film Brokeback Mountain

  • Filmmaker Gus Van Sant revealed it was a struggle to get big names attached to the film, which would go on to win universal critical acclaim and several awards
  • Ryan Phillippe and Matt Damon were also among the Hollywood actors who rejected the chance to take on lead roles in the film, which was released in 2006
  • Jake Gyllenhaal and the late Heath Ledger would eventually go on to star in the movie, which propelled them to superstardom and greatly boosted their careers
  • While Van Sant was initially attached to helm the project, directing duties were eventually given to Ang Lee, who won a coveted Academy Award for his efforts 

Filmmaker Gus Van Sant has revealed that Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio were among a host of actors who turned down offers to star in the gay romance movie Brokeback Mountain — which won critical acclaim and scooped Academy Awards.

Gus, 65, has revealed that the Hollywood heartthrobs joined a multitude of stars who rejected the opportunity take on lead roles in the film — including Matt Damon and Ryan Phillippe — before Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger accepted the offer.

During an interview with IndieWire on Wednesday, Good Will Hunting director Gus said of the movie, which he was initially linked to before helming duties were eventually handed to Ang Lee: 'Nobody wanted to do it.' 

What could have been: Brad Pitt was initially asked to be in the hit film Brokeback Mountain, filmmaker Gus Van Sant told IndieWire Wednesday
Lucky Leo: DiCaprio was snapped in Las Vegas in April

What could have been: Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio were among the actors initially asked to be in the hit film Brokeback Mountain, filmmaker Gus Van Sant told IndieWire Wednesday

'I was working on it, and I felt like we needed a really strong cast, like a famous cast,' he said. 'That wasn't working out. I asked the usual suspects: Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Ryan Phillippe. They all said no.'

Diana Ossana, who produced the movie and took home a screenwriting Oscar for it, told the outlet via email: 'Yes, all those young gentlemen (at the time) turned down the project, for various reasons.'

Van Sant said in hindsight, he made a mistake overestimating the power of name value, as the hit movie — which made $178 million worldwide off a budget of $14 million, according to Box Office Mojo — propelled stars Jake Gyllenhaal and the late Heath Ledger to Oscar nominations and high-profile roles.

Career roles: Both the late Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal were nominated for Oscars for their respective roles as Ennis Del Mar and Jack Twist, respectively

Career roles: Both the late Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal were nominated for Oscars for their respective roles as Ennis Del Mar and Jack Twist, respectively

Bonanza: The movie made $178 million worldwide off a budget of $14 million 

Bonanza: The movie made $178 million worldwide off a budget of $14 million 

He explained: 'What I could have done, and what I probably should have done, was cast more unknowns, not worried about who were the lead actors. I was not ready. I'm not sure why.

'There was just sort of a hiccup on my part. There was something off with myself, I guess, whatever was going on.'

At the end of 2015, to mark the 10th anniversary of the film, Jake — who portrayed cowboy Jack Twist opposite Heath's Ennis Del Mar — spoke with The Hollywood Reporter about his experiences shooting the project. 

Rejected: Matt Damon also turned down a lead role in the film
Pass: Ryan Phillippe also passed on the project

Rejected: Matt Damon, left, and Ryan Phillippe, right, also turned down lead roles in the film

He recalled: 'It’s one of the most beautiful scripts I’ve ever read, and it was Ang Lee, and at the time Heath was a friend of mine — before we even shot the movie — and always sort of alluring to me.' 

'When that opportunity came, I was a young actor. I was like, "Yeah, I’m in,"' he continued. 'I know a lot has been made of the choice to do it, but it just didn't seem like something that was scary to me.

Brokeback Mountain - The Awards 

While the film was embraced by audiences, it was also a hit with critics and scooped dozens of awards nomination, including four wins at the BAFTAs, four Golden Globes trophies and three Oscars. Ang Lee walked with directing wins at the three aforementioned ceremonies, while Jake Gyllenhaal scooped a BAFTA, following nominations for him, Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams, as well as multiple ensemble nods.

'You know, it was binding, because sometimes a lot of that character is very specifically the more overtly gay character of the two.

'The one who's struggling with it less. And I didn’t really realise that. And that was an interesting journey for me, giving in to that idea. Being the one who tries to push the relationship.'

The film secured a star-studded cast that included Anne Hathaway, Michelle Williams, Kate Mara, Linda Cardellini and Randy Quaid. 

Many of the aforementioned stars who rejected the chance to star in Brokeback Mountain would collaborate the following year on The Departed. Damon and DiCaprio starred in the film, which Pitt produced.

Pitt and DiCaprio are slated to share the screen again in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, the period piece directed by Quentin Tarantino due out next summer. 

Missed opportunity: Director Gus Van Sant said he was hoping to get big names at a time he was in line to direct the motion picture 

Missed opportunity: Director Gus Van Sant said he was hoping to get big names at a time he was in line to direct the motion picture 

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Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio TURNED DOWN opportunity to star in Brokeback Mountain

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