The movieBrokeback Mountain (2005)was iconic in its mainstream love story between two ranchersplayed byJake GyllenhaalandHeath Ledger. We can't imagine it going any other way, so it's fascinating to learn about the men who turned down those roles. Original director Gus Van Sant recently revealed who said no.
According to an article in Queerty,Leonardo DiCaprio,Brad Pitt,Matt Damon, andRyan Phillippewere all asked first.
Film producer and screenwriter Diana Ossana recently said that not only did all of those guys turn down the roles but so didMark Wahlberg. We would have loved to see Mark and Matt Damon get butt naked in the wilderness. Of course, Matt later played gay inBehind the Candelabra (2013).
Heath was not a top choice, but he eventually got the role of Ennis Del Mar and was nominated for an Academy Award for it. The casting issues made Van Sant back out of the project, losing passion for it, but Ang Lee stepped in to make movie magic.
We dowish that Spanish director Pedro Almodovar had been asked to direct the movie. He's been quotedas saying that his Brokeback Mountain would have had 'a lot more gay sex'. We definitely would watch that!
