Entertainment news and discussion on TalkFuse.
In 1963, Paul Newman turned down the leading role in a movie, unaware his arch-nemesis would get an Oscar nomination for it
In 1963, Paul Newman declined the lead role in *The Sand Pebbles*, leaving director Robert Wise to consider Steve McQueen. McQueen later played the part and received the only Academy Award nomination of his career, an ironic turn given the rivalry between the two actors.
Wise said Newman was his first choice for Holman, while McQueen initially appeared at the bottom of a shortlist and studio executives doubted he could lead such an expensive production. After *The Great Escape* strengthened McQueen’s standing and Wise’s *The Sound of Music* became a major success, 20th Century Fox approved him for the film; McQueen’s performance earned an Oscar nomination in 1967.
In short
- Newman turned down the lead in *The Sand Pebbles*.
- Steve McQueen took the role and earned his sole Oscar nomination.
- Their rivalry made the casting outcome especially ironic.
Explained simply
The Sand Pebbles is a 1966 film set in China in 1926, during a period of political unrest and foreign influence. It follows an American sailor serving aboard a gunboat on the Yangtze River.
Paul Newman and Steve McQueen were major Hollywood actors whose careers overlapped, and their competitive relationship was widely discussed. Director Robert Wise led the film, while 20th Century Fox backed the costly production; McQueen’s role became the only one of his career to bring him an Academy Award nomination.