When looking back at the movies of the 90s, few films stand out quite like Romeo + Juliet. Adapted from the Shakespeare classic, this modern retelling used the dialogue of old while adding a modern twist and fascinating cinematography to create a film that people continue to enjoy almost 25 years later.
Early on, Natalie Portman was cast as Juliet in the film, but some problems would arise that would see her get the boot from production. She had the talent, but there was something that wasn’t quite right about having her in the role.
So, what exactly took place and why was Portman replaced in the project? Let’s take a look back and see what happened.
Portman Landed The Role When She Was 13
Shakespeare adaptations are nothing new, and back in the 90s, director Baz Luhrmann set out to make a modern version of Romeo and Juliet. For his vision, Luhrmann needed to find the right performers for the lead roles, and this led to him casting a super young Natalie Portman as Juliet.
Prior to the 1996 release of the film, Portman had started getting her feet wet in acting but wasted no time in showing people what she was capable of. In 1994, she made her film debut in Leon: the Professional, and it was clear in that film that the young Portman was no ordinary performer. From there, she would also land roles in films like Developing and Heat to flex her acting prowess.
Clearly, Luhrmann liked what he saw from the young performer, and he cast her as Juliet when she was just 13 years old. It is important to note that Juliet from the story itself is supposed to be 13, so this was right on the money for Luhrmann. However, just because he nailed the age of Juliet does not mean that he was interested in assuring that every character was of the appropriate age for his flick.
Turns out, the whole age thing wound up being a point of contention before things got underway, and this led to Portman being dismissed from the role.
She Was Far Too Young To Star Alongside Leonardo DiCaprio
As we mentioned earlier, Natalie Portman was 13 when she was cast in the movie, and this was okay aside from one thing: her counterpart in the film was 21. That’s right, Leonardo DiCaprio, who was cast as Romeo, was significantly older than Portman, and this caused the studio to take a step back and really evaluate the situation.
In an interview, Portman would touch on this, saying, “It was a complicated situation and [...] at the time I was 13 and Leonardo was 21 and it wasn't appropriate in the eyes of the film company or the director, Baz. It was kind of a mutual decision too that it just wasn't going to be right at the time.”
It is interesting to see the even Luhrmann wound up having an issue with the age gap between them. While they are both fine actors and could have done an exceptional job, it was clear that this pairing was simply not going to work for this movie.
After Portman was relieved of her duties as Juliet, it was time to find an older performer who could do a good job in the role. Luckily, the studio would land on a television star who was an integral part of this movie becoming such a success.
Claire Danes Gets The Role
Prior to becoming Juliet for Baz Luhrmann, Claire Danes was holding things down on the small screen in My So-Called Life. In fact, Danes was so good while starring on that series that she found herself nominated for an Emmy and she eventually won a Golden Globe. Yeah, she was that good.
Danes was 17 when she was cast as Juliet, and while there was still an age difference, the studio was far more comfortable with her in the role. Though she and DiCaprio did not have the best relationship off screen, they were dynamite together while the cameras were rolling. Their love story was believable, and they helped the film become a colossal hit with the youth of the 90s.
Not only was the film a success back in 1996, but through the years, it has continued to live on and thrive as a classic of the era. It is a movie that has stood the test of time and that younger audiences always seem to flock to at some point. Talk about hitting a home run.
While things did not work out for Natalie Portman playing Juliet, she still became a massive star in her own right years later.