Corey Feldman Claimed Johnny Depp Pushed Him Out Of “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape” For One Particular Reason
I can see Corey being in “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape,” but I had no idea about the other two movies.
Corey Feldman had the ’80s on lock, without a doubt.
Cara Robbins / Getty Images for Family Film and TV Awards
Between The Goonies (1985), Stand by Me (1986), The Lost Boys (1987), and License to Drive (1988), just to name a few, Corey was all over the silver screen in the 1980s.
Warner Bros / Columbia Pictures / Warner Bros / 20th Century Fox Film Corp / courtesy Everett Collection
Apparently, the former child star was also supposed to be in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, which would’ve helped keep that momentum going, but he missed out on the role thanks to Johnny Depp.
©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection
“I was actually cast to play Leonardo DiCaprio’s role,” he said. “I never saw the film because I’m still bitter. Bitter leaf in that one. But yes, I was originally cast for that role.”
©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection
When Billy asked if he was pushed out, Corey nodded and said, “Johnny Depp.”
Lionel Hahn / Getty Images
“He was cast after I was, and apparently whispered into the producers’ ear that he wasn’t fond of me, and thought — he said that I was a junkie and that he didn’t work with junkies. And this is the first time I’m ever telling this story, so I’m sure I’m gonna get hung by this one,” Corey said.
Ron Galella / Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images, Alex Bailey / Getty Images
Corey insisted that, at the time, he was not using. “I was sober. I had just gotten sober,” he said. “I had just gotten out of rehab. I had turned my life around, and, in fact, was trying to help River [Phoenix] at the time, who [Johnny] was running with at the time, as we all know.”
The Magnificent Others With Billy Corgan / youtu.be
In 1993, River Phoenix died at age 23 from a drug overdose at The Viper Room, a nightclub and live music venue co-owned by Johnny and Sal Jenco at the time.
George Rose / Getty Images, Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images
“As you can imagine, there was a bit of a thorn in the side on that one,” Corey added. “And, had I not been pushed out and done that role, who knows what would have happened from that point forward.”
The Magnificent Others With Billy Corgan / youtu.be
What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, based on a 1991 novel by Peter Hedges, was well received and earned 19-year-old Leonardo his first Academy Award and Golden Globe Award nominations for his portrayal as Arnie. “There was a bitter tea there,” Corey acknowledged. “But that said, you don’t hang on those, you get past ’em.”
Ron Galella, Ltd. / Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
Corey didn’t stop there. Apparently, he was also in the running for another role that catapulted Leonardo to superstardom. “Ironically, just a couple years later, I also was up for Titanic, so there was kind of a double banger with Leo,” he said. “But that was okay, because that one I wasn’t as close. I was up for it, I read for it, I know that I was in the contingent somewhere.”
The Magnificent Others With Billy Corgan / youtu.be
James Cameron’s Titanic (1997) earned 14 Academy Award nominations, and won 11, including Best Picture and Best Director.
©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection
Corey also noted that he auditioned for Samwise Gamgee in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, but it went to his costar from The Goonies, Sean Astin.
Courtesy Everett Collection
“I was actually up for Sean’s role, and I heard I got pretty close on that as well,” Corey said. “Although I couldn’t have gained the weight, so I’ll give him that. He did a great job aesthetically being able to add that weight. It’s something I cannot physically do.”
Harmony Gerber / Getty Images
Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy earned 30 Academy Award nominations and won 17. The final film, The Return of the King, won all 11 nominations.
©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection
