Why Matthew McConaughey Lost the Lead Role in ‘Titanic’

Matthew McConaughey nearly played Jack Dawson in “Titanic” — but a key audition moment may have sunk his chances.

According to a new excerpt from the late Jon Landau’s memoir “The Bigger Picture,” shared via journalist Matthew Belloni’s “What I’m Hearing” newsletter, McConaughey lost out on the iconic role after refusing director James Cameron’s request to redo his scene a different way.

Producer Jon Landau’s Memoir Reveals Why the Actor Lost the Role

“We brought him in to do a scene with Kate [Winslet]. You want to check for chemistry, not just how people look on film but how they interact,” Landau wrote in the book, published posthumously following the producer’s death in July 2024.

Landau recalled that Winslet, who went on to star in the 1997 blockbuster as Rose DeWitt Bukater, was immediately taken with McConaughey during the reading.

“Kate was taken with Matthew, his presence and charm. Matthew did the scene with the drawl,” Landau noted.

According to Page Six, McConaughey, now 55, reportedly delivered his lines with a Southern accent reflective of his Texas roots. However, Cameron, now 70, felt the character needed a different tone. “That’s great,” Cameron reportedly told McConaughey, according to Landau. “Now let’s try it a different way.”

Jack Dawson, as written, was an orphan from Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin — far from the Southern gentleman McConaughey is known for portraying.

Landau alleged that McConaughey declined to perform the scene again with a different accent. “No. That was pretty good. Thanks,” he reportedly said, ending the audition and ultimately costing him the part.

Director Says Casting “Titanic” Lead Was No Easy Feat

While McConaughey bowed out, Leonardo DiCaprio eventually secured the role and became one half of one of the most iconic on-screen duos in cinematic history. But according to Cameron, casting DiCaprio wasn’t seamless either.

In a 2022 interview with GQ, Cameron revealed that during an early audition with DiCaprio, the actor initially refused to read lines. “Oh, I don’t read,” DiCaprio allegedly said when asked to participate in a test shoot.

Cameron responded firmly. If DiCaprio didn’t read, he wouldn’t get the role. The actor eventually agreed to perform the scene with Winslet — and that’s when things clicked.

“Kate just lit up … dark clouds had opened up and a ray of sun came down and lit up Jack. I’m like, ‘Alright, he’s the guy,’” Cameron said at the time.

Despite the bumpy path to casting, the film became one of the most successful in history. “Titanic” won 11 Academy Awards, including Best Director for Cameron, and catapulted both DiCaprio and Winslet to international stardom.

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