Michael Douglas initially turned down the role of Ohio judge Robert Wakefield in Steven Soderbergh’s *Traffic*, believing it was the weakest part of the screenplay. Harrison Ford then accepted the role, but withdrew after negotiations over his fee stalled, allowing Douglas to ask the filmmakers to reconsider him.

Douglas had discovered that the script had been substantially improved after his first reading, partly through Catherine Zeta-Jones, who brought home a new draft. Ford left on 24 February 2000, seven weeks before filming began on 8 April; Douglas joined the cast, and *Traffic* went on to receive widespread acclaim and win four of its five Academy Award nominations.