Catherine Zeta-Jones declined a role in the 1999 comedy sequel *Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me*, which went on to become a much-loved film. At the time, she was building momentum after *The Mask of Zorro* and *Entrapment*, and chose a supernatural horror film instead.

Zeta-Jones said she could not picture herself playing Felicity Shagwell, the role that went to Heather Graham. The article places her decision within a career focused on more serious parts: she later appeared in *High Fidelity* and *Traffic*, and won an Oscar for *Chicago* in 2003.