This joins the long list of actors passing on projects that end up being popular and successful.

http://www.imdb.com/news/wenn/2005-03-07/

Actress Hilary Swank has Sandra Bullock and Ashley Judd to thank for her Best Actress Oscar for Million Dollar Baby - because the role was refused by both actresses. The movie's producer Albert S. Ruddy's first choice for the part of a tragic female boxer was Bullock, who turned down the part when she was told she could not pick the director - Ruddy next approached Judd, whose salary demands would have busted the budget. After Ruddy finally settled on Swank, Bullock's agent called him and said she would do the picture after all, but, "Al just said, 'Too late,'" a source told website Pagesix.Com.

Bullock? Isn't she in her 40's?

Personally, I would've gone with Meg Ryan. Her last boxing move was a huge hit.

Sandra Bullock is great in romantic comedies and dramas that don't require her to stretch her somewhat limited range. Ashley Judd is a terrific actress, but her endless string of generic thrillers of late has made her seem boring.

Swank was the right choice.

It's funny how cinema history is littered with little instances of fate like this.

Is this a case of...I just cant picture either two in the role...for anyone else?

Bullock will receive her first Oscar nomination this year.

Yes she will.

It would've been interesting having Bullock in the movie. Not sure how good she would have been, but I bet she would've been about as good as Hilary. Maybe not as good, but close.

Just to think of the Indiana Jones role...

<<shudder>>

Or Star Wars or The Lord of the Rings or The Godfather. The list is pretty long.

More like Bullock and Judd need to thank Swank for taking it so they wouldn't have disgraced the writing.

I hate it when people look too much into these casting decisions. They got cast and that's it. You can't do aything about it.

A couple of years ago I had a cow cuz Judd dropped out of Catwoman cuz I thought she was the most ideal catwoman but seeing as how the movie turned out, even if it wasn't with Berry, I'm glad she dropped it.

http://www.imdb.com/news/wenn/2005-03-08/#3

Bullock Fires Back at 'Million Dollar Baby' Reports

Sandra Bullock is upset by reports she turned down the chance to star in Oscar-winning movie Million Dollar Baby - because she tried to get the film made for years. The actress calls rumors she snubbed Clint Eastwood "total rubbish," insisting instead that gossips have got their facts wrong. She explains, "We had Million Dollar Baby with someone else for a while, trying to get it made. I couldn't get it made. We tried and tried and tried. (They were like) Female boxing movies don't sell. I was like, 'This is the most incredible piece.' I then started doing Miss Congeniality 2 and they got Hilary Swank and they got Clint." But Bullock insists she's not bitter about the fact the film went on to net Swank a Best Actress Oscar - in the role she wanted to play: "When things like that happen, that's the way they're supposed to be."

A long list? Maybe alot longer. I would think that very rarely the first actor thought of or mentioned for a role, gets it.

And movie fans should thank them also, cause those actresses wouldn't have done the job that Swank did.