Paramount
The Titanic launched Leonardo DiCaprio’s career when it hit theatres 20 years ago, but it turns out the role almost went to a very different young Hollywood heartthrob.
Kate Winslet, who famously played Rose in the historical drama, revealed that Matthew McConaughey was actually the studio’s top pick to play Jack during a recent visit to The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
“I auditioned with Matthew, isn’t that weird?” Winslet said. “Never said that in public before. I auditioned with Matthew, which was completely fantastic. It just wouldn’t have been the whole ‘Jack and Rose, Kate and Leo’ thing.”
In addition to McConaughey, it was revealed last year that Jeremy Sisto, who played Elton in Clueless, also auditioned for DiCaprio’s part. There’s even a video of Winslet and Sisto reading lines together.
But even Winslet wasn’t a lock to play Rose. She revealed in 2012 that Uma Thurman, Gwyneth Paltrow and Winona Ryder were all in the running.
The film, which went on to become one of the highest grossing movies of all time with $2.19 billion in gross earnings worldwide, has returned to select theaters for its 20th anniversary this month.
This article originally appeared on PEOPLE
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
