Madonna's Biggest Regret? Turning Down a Now-Iconic $750 Million Dilogy
Madonna could have flaunted the iconic Catwoman suit on the big screen.
The acting profession is definitely hard when it comes to choosing a movie or series to participate in. One can never know whether a project will be a hit or a flop, so actors have to use all their intuition when making the choice that could change their lives. Of course, in such a situation, regret is a common emotion among the acting community. Some regret taking part in a project that turned out to be a big disappointment, others regret turning down a future hit.
Even legends like Madonna have their regrets. The iconic singer-songwriter-actress has an impressive filmography, starring in twenty-two movies, many of which were critical and commercial failures. But she doesn't regret what she's done; she blames herself for sitting out one now-iconic project.
When Madonna appeared on The Tonight Show last year, she told Jimmy Fallon that she turned down the role of Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman, in the second part of Tim Burton's Batman saga, 1992's Batman Returns. And she felt remorseful about it.
"I regret that I turned down Catwoman. That was pretty fierce," Madonna shared.
The franchise was both critically and financially successful, grossing over $400 million worldwide for the first film and over $250 million for the second. Had Madonna not turned down the role, she would have starred alongside Michael Keaton as Batman and Danny DeVito as the Penguin. Instead, the role went to Michelle Pfeiffer, and it became another moment of fame for her, with audiences and critics almost unanimously praising her performance.
With Batman Returns hailed as one of the best Batman films in decades and its incarnation of Catwoman considered iconic, it is easy to see why Madonna regretted her decision. But this was not the only time she failed to predict the future success of a project and refused to participate.
"I also turned down the role in 'The Matrix, '" she said. "Can you believe that? I wanted to kill myself."
Although the actress didn't specify which character in The Matrix she was supposed to portray, losing these two A-list gigs must have been devastating. Nevertheless, as the Queen of Pop and one of the most iconic figures of the modern age, Madonna certainly has a lot to be proud of in her career.