Patrick Swayze Got The Part In Ghost Just Because Bruce Willis Turned It Down
Not even his then-wife could make the actor change his mind and take the part.
When you think of Bruce Willis, you don't usually think of a specific romantic movie or setting.
Just as Tom Cruise seems destined to play special agents after his huge Mission Impossible success, Bruce Willis has found himself in various blockbusters and action movies.
With his tough exterior and humorous personality, it was only fitting for the actor to take on brutal characters with a certain soft spot.
Although not the first actor that comes to mind for the role of the romantic protagonist, Willis could actually take the lead in one of the most romantic movies ever made.
Back in 1990, when Jerry Zucker's Ghost was still in pre-production, the actor was offered the role of Sam Wheat to star alongside his then-wife Demi Moore.
This casting move could have been a big deal for both the production team and the actor himself.
One would get more recognition and praise for taking on more diverse roles, and the movie would get more press and media coverage because of the co-stars' real-life romance.
Willis, however, was not so enthusiastic about the role: when he read the script and found out that Wheat was dead, he couldn't see how the story could be romantic at all.
"How about Ghost? Knucklehead Bruce Willis. I just didn't get it. I said, "Hey, the guy's dead. How are you gonna have a romance?" Famous last words. But I don't regret it, because it just doesn't matter. It's down the road, under the bridge," the actor opened up to Playboy.
The good thing is that the actor's career took off even though he turned down the opportunity. He's taken another path to the success that he has today, but still ended up cherished by the audience.
Although it would have been nice to see him change to a more sensual and dramatic kind of movie, the way Ghost turned out in the end was absolutely perfect as well.
Patrick Swayze, who took Willis' place and worked on portraying Sam Wheat in the final cut, did such an incredible job that the film was praised and won numerous awards.
Source: Playboy