Rachel McAdams Turned Down ‘Iron Man,’ ‘Casino Royale,’ ‘Mission: Impossible III’ and ‘Devil Wears Prada’ in Two-Year Period: ‘I Felt Guilty’

Nicholas Hoult recently made headlines for revealing he lost roles in The Batman, Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One and Top Gun: Maverick in a row, but thats nothing compared to the handful of A-list projects Rachel McAdams consecutively turned down in the mid aughts. As revealed in her new Bustle profile, McAdams turned down offers for The Devil Wears Prada,Casino Royale, Mission: Impossible III, Iron Man andGet Smart in the two-year period where she moved back to Canada following a rise in Hollywood with Mean Girls and The Notebook.

Theres certainly things like I wish Id done that, McAdams said. [But] I step back and go, That was the right person for that.

All five movies which McAdams rejected, released between 2006 and 2008, ended up being box office hits, with Casino Royale reigniting the Bond franchise with Daniel Craig in the role (presumably McAdams was up for Eva Greens role) and the first Iron Man launching the Marvel Cinematic Universe. McAdams waited to enter the superhero universe until 2016s Doctor Strange and reprised the role of Dr. Christine Palmer in 2022s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

I felt guilty for not capitalizing on the opportunity that I was being given, because I knew I was in such a lucky spot, McAdams said about turning down these films and taking a two-year break from Hollywood as her career was surging. But I also knew it wasnt quite jiving with my personality and what I needed to stay sane. There were definitely some anxious moments of wondering if I was just throwing it all away, and why was I doing that? Its taken years to understand what I intuitively was doing.

McAdams harbors no regrets and many of her early films such as Mean Girls and The Notebook remain classics. Mean Girls is currently getting the musical treatment for a new film based on Tina Feys Tony-winning Broadway adaptation. Rene Rapp is stepping into the shoes of McAdams character Regina George after playing the part on Broadway.

I dont see a way to shoehorn us in, McAdams said about cameoing in the musical film. If Tina [Fey] can figure it out, Im there, for sure.

McAdams next feature is the Judy Blume adaptation Are You There God? Its Me, Margaret, opening in theaters April 28 from Lionsgate.

McAdams has these interactions often, as the interest in her early career films has never waned. Especially asMean Girlsenters production on its third iteration: a big screen adaptation of the movies musical treatment. (I dont see a way to shoehorn us in, she says. But if Tina [Fey] can figure it out, Im there, for sure.)

Theres certainly things like I wish Id done that. But the success of those projects, she says, makes her think twice about her potential casting. I step back and go, That was the right person for that.

Of what ultimately became a two-year break, McAdams says, I felt guilty for not capitalizing on the opportunity that I was being given, because I knew I was in such a lucky spot. But I also knew it wasnt quite jiving with my personality and what I needed to stay sane. Not that she would have articulated it that way at the time. There were definitely some anxious moments of wondering if I was just throwing it all away, and why was I doing that? Its taken years to understand what I intuitively was doing.