#17: Regretted Turning Down Terms of Endearment

Reynolds was initially cast as Garrett Breedlove, the charismatic astronaut in Terms of Endearment (1983). However, he turned down the role in favor of starring in Stroker Ace (1983), a racing comedy that was a critical and commercial failure.

The role of Garrett Breedlove ultimately went to Jack Nicholson, who won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Reynolds later admitted it was one of the biggest mistakes of his career, as it could have reshaped his image as a dramatic actor.