Famous Roles That 16 Actors Never Want to Play Again (2024)

In a 2021 interview with IGN, Dave Bautista said that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3 was "probably going to be the end of Drax [the Destroyer]."

Not long after that, he reiterated his comments on his Twitter account, saying, "Drax isn't going anywhere. He just won't be played by this dude!" He went on to crack a joke saying, "By the time G3 comes out I'll be 54 yrs old for gods sake! I'm expecting everything to start sagging any second now."

Bautista isn't the only Guardians of the Galaxy star to step away from the franchise. In April 2023, Zoe Saldana told The Hollywood Reporter that she was finished playing Gamora in the series. "I don't think this is the end for the Guardians," she said, explaining that she originally thought she would only be in the original movie. "It is the end for me, for Gamora."

A few months prior, Saldana spoke to Entertainment Weekly about the emotions going into filming the third movie knowing it would be her last. "[Filming] started bitter in the beginning cause obviously you're anticipating the end," she said. "I had an evolution that I witnessed of myself, but also my director and my cast. I just felt very blessed and grateful. It was a very sweet departure, I have to say."

Chris Evans played Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe 11 times, but he has finally moved on to other projects. In November 2023, Evans appeared on The View, where he addressed rumors that he would be returning to the role, saying, "It's news to me." He added, "I would never say never," but went on to say, "It's a very precious role to me, so it would have to be just right."

When speaking at the C2E2 fan convention in Chicago in the spring of 2023, Evans expressed similar feelings. "It's tough, because look, I love that role deeply," he said. "I think there's more Steve Rogers stories to tell, sure. But at the same time, I’m very, very precious with it… it’s like this little shiny thing that I have that I love so much, and I just don’t want to mess up in any way.”

It wouldn't be the Halloween franchise without Jamie Lee Curtis playing Laurie Strode. The first movie was Curtis' feature film acting debut, but it appears she's finally done appearing in the remakes and sequels. In February 2022, after the latest Halloween movie wrapped, Curtis took to Instagram to say goodbye to the iconic role.

"A bittersweet END for me on the Halloween movies," Curtis wrote in a caption alongside a gallery of photos taken on set. "I've made great friends and have collaborated with wonderful artists on these three movies and today my part in the film has been completed and with it the END for me of this trilogy."

One of Dylan O'Brien's biggest roles was playing the main character Stiles Stilinski in MTV's Teen Wolf. But when Paramount Plus announced a follow-up film years after the series finale, O'Brien told Variety he wouldn't be part of it. "It was a difficult decision. A lot went into it," he said. "The show couldn’t be more dear to me. It was the first thing I ever did and so many people there are extremely dear to me. It was something I was trying to make work but it all happened very fast."

He continued, adding: "Ultimately, I just decided it was left in a really good place for me and I still want to leave it there. I wish them well and I’m going to watch it the first night it comes out. I hope it f***ing kicks ass, but I’m not going to be in it."

Henry Cavill started playing Superman in 2013, but after some confusion surrounding Man of Steel 2 and a teaser in Black Adam, the actor announced he would not be returning to the role. "It's sad news, everyone," he wrote. "I will, after all, not be returning as Superman. After being told by the studio to announce my return back in October, prior to their hire, this news isn't the easiest, but that's life."

He went on to say, "The changing of the guard is something that happens. I respect that. We can mourn for a bit, but then we must remember.... Superman is still around. Everything he stands for still exists."

When talking to Access Hollywood about a Harry Potter TV series, Daniel Radcliffe said he had not had any conversations about joining. "I think it's very much like they're going for a new series," he stated. "There would be somebody else playing Harry. So I think it would be very weird for me to show up."

In a 2023 interview with ComicBook, Radcliffe expanded on these similar thoughts. "I’m definitely not seeking it out in any way. But I do wish them, obviously, all the luck in the world and I’m very excited to have that torch passed," he said. "But I don’t think it needs me to physically pass it."

Auli'i Cravalho voiced the titular role of Moana in the 2016 Disney film and will voice her again in an upcoming sequel, but she won't be playing Moana in live-action. In a video she posted to her Instagram during the spring of 2023, she said that although the role had "wonderfully changed my life and started my career," she wouldn't be reprising it in the live-action film.

"I believe it is absolutely vital that casting accurately represents the characters and stories we want to tell," she said. “I can’t wait to find the next actress to portray Moana’s courageous spirit, undeniable wit and emotional strength."

In 2022, Tom hanks appeared on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, where he revealed that, at one point, a Forrest Gump sequel seemed to briefly be a possibility. "And then we never... we said, 'Guys, come on.'" Hanks recalled humorously.

"A smart thing I did is I’ve never signed a contract that had a contractual obligation to a sequel," Hanks said. "I’ve always said, ‘Guys, if there’s a reason to do it, let’s do it. But you guys can’t force me.’ There is that natural inclination that is one of pure commerce that says, ‘Hey, you just had a hit, so do it again and you’ll have a hit.'"

Elf is an iconic Christmas movie, so one would assume Will Ferrell would be interested in reprising his role as lovable Buddy. But in a 2021 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, he revealed that he shot down the chance for a sequel, saying it just wasn't something he believed in.

"I would have had to promote the movie from an honest place, which would’ve been, like, 'Oh no, it’s not good. I just couldn’t turn down that much money.' And I thought, 'Can I actually say those words? I don’t think I can, so I guess I can’t do the movie,'" he said.

In a 2020 interview, when asked if there was a chance of a The Suite Life of Zack and Cody reboot, Dylan said "confidently, no." He went on to explain, "That was a chapter, I think, of both of our separate lives or together life, that was just a role at the time. You see these reboots happening, and it's kind of fan-service-y, and I honestly just think that usually they're not as good [as the originals]."

In 2021, Cole said the same thing to Drew Barrymore, stating the two would "absolutely not" reprise those roles, for pretty much the same reason: he doesn't think sequels are as good.

Playing Michelle Tanner on Full House started Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's acting careers, but the two have long since said goodbye to the role. When the reboot, Fuller House, was announced, most of the cast members came back aside from the Olson twins. They never publicly spoke about it, but their costar John Stamos touched on it during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen.

"I remember Lori [Loughlin] saying to me, 'They won two or three CFDA [Fashion] Awards. That's like winning two or three Oscars. If you won three Oscars, would you come back and do this?' I was like, 'Eh, maybe not.'"