Angelina Jolie turned down a leading role in the 2000 hit Charlie's Angels because she was uncomfortable with the film's reliance on sex appeal, despite Columbia Pictures' efforts to sell her on the part with promises of stardom and "fun". Jolie, who had already proven her range with acclaimed roles in Gia, George Wallace and Girl, Interrupted, felt the studio's pitch was condescending and had no wish to "run around in high heels chasing bad guys and flipping my hair" for the male gaze, believing this set the project apart from the strong female roles she had already played.

Jolie told the Calgary Sun that Columbia executives argued there were few strong roles for women and that the film would make her a star, but she rejected this reasoning outright. Cameron Diaz and Drew Barrymore had already signed on, while Thandiwe Newton reportedly dropped out over similar objections to being objectified, before Lucy Liu eventually took the third lead. Charlie's Angels went on to be a major box-office success in 2000, but it was overtaken the following year by Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, which made Jolie a bona fide star; she has said Lara Croft's sexuality felt incidental rather than central to the character, unlike the approach she associated with Charlie's Angels.