Legendary actress and singer Julie Andrews started her career on Broadway with roles in "My Fair Lady" and "Camelot." Andrews then paved the way for future success with her debut film "Mary Poppins," and she continued to be successful in films such as "The Sound of Music."
While she held prominent roles, she also turned down a few, and later saw other actresses take center stage for the roles.
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After her starring role in "Mary Poppins," Andrews turned down the lead role in "Bedknobs and Broomsticks" because the movies were too similar.
Released in 1971, "Bedknobs and Broomsticks" follows children who move to a village during World War II and discover the woman they are living with is a witch. She uses her magic to cast a traveling spell on a bedknob and they fly to the Isle of Naboombu to find a spell that will save England. Andrews turned down the role, and Angela Lansbury famously played the part.
Andrews was also offered the role of Truly Scrumptious in the movie "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang." But she turned it down for similar reasons as "Bedknobs and Broomsticks," tired of being typecast after having similar roles in "The Sound of Music" and "Mary Poppins."
When Andrews turned down the role, it was offered to Sally Ann Howes, who had replaced Andrews in the Broadway musical "My Fair Lady."
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According to PBS, Andrews was considered for the role of Guinevere in the 1967 movie "Camelot." Producer Jack Warner wanted Andrews to play the role, especially since she had previously played it onstage. However, the film's director, Joshua Logan, wanted Vanessa Redgrave for the role and insisted Redgrave be cast for the part.
In a
2001 interview on CNN's "Larry King Live," Andrews said she regretted turning down the title role in 1970's "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie." Andrews said she did not think she could play it well, and she was still concerned about being typecast if she played the role of a "prim teacher." Maggie Smith played Brodie, and won an Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role.
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