Woody Harrelson says he sabotaged his audition for Simon Bishop in As Good as It Gets because he was intimidated by acting opposite Jack Nicholson. The missed opportunity mattered because the 1997 film was a major success, and Harrelson’s career and confidence had suffered after the controversy surrounding The People vs Larry Flynt.

Harrelson was Oscar-nominated for Larry Flynt, but withdrew from leading film roles until 1999’s EdTV. Greg Kinnear ultimately played Simon, earning a Best Supporting Actor nomination, while the film became 1997’s sixth-highest-grossing release; Harrelson believes the role might have helped restore his confidence sooner.