No fewer than five actresses either passed up or were sidelined for the lead female role eventually filled by 50-year-old Sandra Bullock in the surprise hit sci-fi thriller “Gravity.” It took an astounding $55.6 million at the US box office on its opening weekend.
Here’s the bevy of younger beauties who were in line to play the helpless astronaut floating in space – a spectacular turn by Bullock generating plenty of Oscar buzz and a rash of compliments about her lean, toned body which she flaunts in skimpy boy shorts and a tank top.
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1. Angelina Jolie
Andreas Rentz/Getty The role was originally written for the 38-year-old supermom of six, who backed out of the project citing a busy schedule during 2010, specifically the thriller “Salt,” box office flop “The Tourist” and her directorial venture “In The Land of Milk and Honey.
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2. Marion Cottilard
Charles Leonio/Getty Images The 38-year-old French hottie screen-tested, but also said “non” preferring to appear with Leonardo Di Caprio in another sci-fi film, the surreal “Inception” and the lukewarm Gallic comedy drama “Little White Lies.”
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3. Scarlett Johansson
Rob Kim/Getty Images Esquire’s latest “Sexiest Woman Alive” was linked to the project but it ended up being a no-go – and the 28-year-old’s “Ironman 2” co-star Robert Downey Jr. turned down the role filled by George Clooney.
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4. Blake Lively
Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage Mrs. Ryan Reynolds, aka Serena van der Woodsen, was in the running for the part, but was up to her eyes at the time filming her TV series “Gossip Girl” in Manhattan and the acclaimed Ben Affleck movie “The Town” in Boston. According to Hollywood sources, the 26-year-old was “not considered right for the [Gravity] role.”
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5. Natalie Portman
Getty Images A baby got in the way for 32-year-old Oscar winner (lead actress in the psycho-thriller “Black Swan”) who was all set to go on pregnancy break when opportunity knocked. She gave birth to son Adelph in the summer of 2011.