- Jonathan Rhys Meyers. Bend It Like Beckham, 2002. Next choice, Max Beesely, also passed – and the film made everyone in it. Keira Knightley, Meyers, Parminder Nagra, director Gurinder Chadha and soccer star David Beckham all wound up living in LA.
- Christian Bale, Batman Begins, 2004.
- James Franco, 127 Hours, 2009. The pride of County Cork was Irish director Danny Boyle’s first plan for Aron Ralston, an arrogant US climber who had to saw ff his own arm when trapped in a Utah mountain for the titular five-and-a-bit days in 2003. Ironically, Murphy had previously time-spanned for Boyle in 28 Days Later, 1999.
Birth year: Death year: Other name: Casting Calls: 3