Jolie was supposed to co-star with Robert Downey Jr. in the film, but the project’s plans changed, and she didn’t get to be a part of an Oscar-winning film.
Alfonso Cuaron’s Vision for Gravity
Alfonso Cuaron
Gravity, directed by Alfonso Cuarón, is considered one of the finest space movies ever. The film chronicles the ordeal of two space travelers whose spacecraft is destroyed and who must now find other means of transportation to return to Earth.
The film, though, virtually had an altogether distinct aesthetic. In his early drafts, Cuaron envisioned a storyline with a single individual floating aimlessly across space. But when production on the film got underway, they realized they needed to work out the technology involved.
Angelina Jolie
Cuarón and his crew saw that the technology at their disposal allowed them to explore many different things. Cuarón discussed casting Angelina Jolie and Robert Downey Jr. in the film’s key roles.
“Part of that was conversations with actors. I had conversations with Angelina, but then she went to do one film, and then she was going to direct [Unbroken]. Something happens, you part ways.”
Robert Downey Jr.’s improvisational abilities amazed Cuarón, who thought he’d make a great choice for the role. One of the technologies was tested, but it did not work well with Downey’s method of acting.
Angelina Jolie’s Missed Opportunity
Angelina Jolie was a major star in the entertainment industry at the time. She was one of the most sought-after actors and had recently directed Unbroken. Jolie expressed interest in the part during discussions with Cuarón.
Angelina Jolie
It has been said that Angelina Jolie’s manager was overbearing and always wanted a piece of the action in the form of producing credit or money from each of her films. Page Six reports that after the backlash from the Gravity movie, Jolie fired her manager.
“For years, Jolie has relied on her controlling manager, Geyer Kosinski, who blocked her from the Hollywood community and demanded producing credits and fees for himself on most of her projects. But Kosinski’s stock tumbled with Gravity, when the monster hit moved from Universal to Warner Bros. over money and Jolie was replaced by Sandra Bullock, who will reap a fortune and probably get a Best Actress Oscar nomination.”
Angelina Jolie’s manager, Geyer Kosinski, allegedly kept her isolated from the Hollywood scene, which may have cost her the job in Gravity. The movie earned seven Academy Awards and had a global gross of $732 million. Sandra Bullock performed the lead part, and critics praised her performance.
