The now-iconic duo of Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet could have been a handful of other beloved actors.
Titanic was an epic love story, told with a big budget and an extremely ambitious director. All of Hollywood knew it.
Many even campaigned for the roles. Kate Winslet successfully convinced Cameron she was right for the part of Rose, but for Jack, Christian Bale wasn't so lucky.
Among the other names considered for the main role of Jack were Johnny Depp, Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, River Phoenix and Macauley Culkin.
Leonardo DiCaprio, who had just come off of Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet, was the one James felt fit the role just right.
Much more is told in Episode 9 of BLOCKBUSTER: THE STORY OF JAMES CAMERON — the award-winning "biopic podcast" series, starring The Walking Dead's Ross Marquand, from filmmaker and journalist Matt Schrader.
For the role of Rose, there was fierce competition.
Actresses including Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore, Christina Applegate, Jennifer Connelly, Claire Danes, and Angelina Jolie were considered.
Others reported to have been considered for the part included Madonna, Winona Ryder, Uma Thurman, Charlize Theron, Reese Witherspoon
BLOCKBUSTER is free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and all other platforms. BLOCKBUSTER is winner of Adweek's Creative Podcast of the Year, and earned two Webby Honorees and NYF Radio Awards, including for Best Podcast Miniseries.
You can hear more about the passions and rise of James Cameron in BLOCKBUSTER, free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all other platforms.
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