In 1987, Julia Roberts “auditioned eight times” to play Marlon Brando’s daughter. He quit the movie days before the start of shooting

In 1987, Julia Roberts auditioned eight times for *Jericho*, a film Marlon Brando wrote and planned to star in, but she was cast in *Steel Magnolias* instead. The project collapsed when Brando withdrew days before filming, leaving Roberts’ missed role as a “what if” in her early career.

Casting director Pamela Guest recalled that Roberts stood out for the part of Brando’s daughter, but her casting in *Steel Magnolias* made her unavailable. Cathy Moriarty was chosen instead, though she also never worked with Brando. He reportedly blamed an insurance dispute for leaving the production; Roberts went on to earn an Oscar nomination for *Steel Magnolias* and later became a star.