Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was once offered an opportunity to star opposite Hollywood actor Brad Pitt in Troy (2004), one of the biggest historical films of that year. However, the actress turned down the project, missing the chance to share screen space with the Hollywood star.
Directed by Wolfgang Petersen, Troy featured Brad Pitt, Eric Bana, Orlando Bloom and Diane Kruger. The film reportedly had a production budget of $175 million and earned nearly $497 million worldwide. But why did Aishwarya Rai reject such a major Hollywood project? The actress later spoke about the reasons behind her decision.
Which Role Was Aishwarya Rai Offered In Brad Pitt's Troy?
Aishwarya Rai was approached to play Briseis, a Trojan priestess who becomes an important part of the story involving Achilles, played by Brad Pitt. She was not offered the role of Helen of Troy, which was played by Diane Kruger.
After Aishwarya turned down the project, Australian actress Rose Byrne was cast as Briseis. The film was released in 2004 and went on to become a major box-office success.
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Why Did Aishwarya Rai Turn Down Brad Pitt's Troy?
The actress had two major concerns about joining the film. One was the nature of certain scenes, while the other was the lengthy shooting schedule.
In an interview with journalist David Frost, Aishwarya spoke about the intimate scenes in the script and explained why she was not comfortable with them. She said, "The very material on celluloid involved a lot of lovemaking scenes that I wasn’t comfortable with."
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The actress also revealed that the makers expected her to keep six to nine months free for the project. At the time, she had several commitments in India and did not want to put them aside for a film in which her role was relatively small.
Speaking about the schedule, she said, "They wanted me to lock off 6-9 months because it was a huge film."
Aishwarya further explained that she had already committed to other projects and could not cancel them to accommodate the Hollywood film.
Who Replaced Aishwarya Rai In Troy?
After Aishwarya Rai Bachchan declined the offer, Rose Byrne was cast as Briseis. The Australian actress appeared opposite Brad Pitt in the historical epic, which also featured Sean Bean, Brian Cox and Peter O'Toole.
Interestingly, Brad Pitt later spoke about the missed opportunity to work with Aishwarya. In a 2012 interview with IANS, he said, "I think we missed an opportunity to be cast together for the movie Troy."
Did Aishwarya Rai's Hollywood Career Stop After Rejecting Troy?
No. Aishwarya continued to explore international projects after turning down Troy. She appeared in films such as Bride & Prejudice, The Mistress of Spices, The Last Legion and The Pink Panther 2.
Her decision to reject the Brad Pitt film did not end her international film journey. Instead, she continued choosing projects that suited her professional commitments and comfort levels.
FAQs
1. Which role was Aishwarya Rai offered in Troy?
Aishwarya Rai was offered the role of Briseis, the character who becomes closely connected to Brad Pitt's Achilles.
2. Why did Aishwarya Rai reject Brad Pitt's Troy?
She was uncomfortable with the intimate scenes in the script and did not want to block six to nine months for the film because of her existing commitments in India.
3. Who replaced Aishwarya Rai in Troy?
Australian actress Rose Byrne played Briseis after Aishwarya turned down the role.