Emma Watson and Miles Teller said to be 'freaking out' after rejecting leads in Oscar-nominated La La Land

Alice Vincent
Updated

La La Land has become one of the most Oscar-nominated films in history after scooping recognition in 14 Academy Award categories last week.

The news must be music to the ears of the musical film's (also Oscar-nominated) director Damian Chazelle, who spent six long years trying to find the right actors to play his leading man and lady.

It is less tuneful, however, for Miles Teller and Emma Watson, who both missed out on starring in the blockbuster after originally being tipped for the roles of Sebastian and Mia.

Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone are Oscar frontrunners for Best Actor and Best Actress after taking home Golden Globe awards in those categories during a record-breaking seven gong win for the film earlier this month.

It was originally stated that Watson turned down Chazelle to make her singing silver screen debut in Disney's live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast.

And it has been reported for several months that Teller's non-casting in the film was due to a pay dispute: The Hollywood Reporter claimed that the 29-year-old wanted more than the $4 million that was offered, and this figure has since been said to be $6 million.

Teller told GQ that he texted Chazelle, who directed him in 2014 jazz drama Whiplash, saying "What the f---, bro?" after his agent told the actor he had been dropped from La La Land.

However, The New York Post's gossip column, Page Six, writes that Watson wasn't cast as Mia after making "crazy demands":

Watson was offered the lead female role, but she initially wouldn’t commit. Then she began making all these crazy demands, like rehearsals for the film must be done in London – for a film called ‘La La Land!’ They jumped through hoops to make it work with her, but she just didn’t feel the film was right for her.

The pair are now reportedly "freaking out and looking for someone else to blame" following La La Land's awards recognition.

Neither Watson nor Teller have been Oscar-nominated before, although Whiplash did win five Academy Awards in 2015.

Mia wasn't the only role Watson turned down before playing Belle: she was also approached by Disney to play Cinderella, but turned down the part saying that Belle "resonated with me so much more".

Ryan Goslings career in pictures

 

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