For decades, there had been discussions in Hollywood about making a new version of the 1937 romantic drama classic, A Star Is Born. The Mission: Impossible actor, Tom Cruise was reportedly being courted by the director to co-star with Beyoncé in his musical remake.

Yes, you might be surprised to learn that Clint Eastwood, one of the most recognizable actors- filmmakers of all time, nearly made a movie starring Cruise and Beyoncé. Eastwood has helmed countless masterpieces, which have won him countless awards and favorable reviews.

Well, the 60-year-old actor was merely the Hollywood A-lister to have been linked to the role in A Star Is Born. The 2018 romantic drama film sees a fading star fall in love with a young genius, who gradually eclipses him.

Throughout the lengthy development of A Star Is Born, a number of actors were considered for the male lead role, including Will Smith, Russell Crowe, Leonardo DiCaprio, Hugh Jackman, and even Christian Bale, among others.

Speaking of the female lead, Beyoncé briefly backed out of the project, but after Clint Eastwood took over as director, she decided to sign the contract. But then what went wrong?

Beyoncé Was Originally Set to Appear In A Star Is Born

It took Warner Bros. 11 years to make A Star Is Born, which at one point had Clint Eastwood on board to helm and Beyoncé in the lead role. Bill Gerber, (the longtime producer of the movie) once discussed the reasons behind the decision to bring Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga to the forefront. He stated the following:

“Time happened. Beyoncé got pregnant, and then Clint went off and did another movie. At the time I thought, ‘I’m going to be able to make a movie with my old dear friend’ — not old, my young dear friend — and I was so excited about it. And I called Beyonce’s people, and she came out, she met with Clint, and I’m sitting there and I think I’m watching something historic about to happen. And then it didn’t. It’s just the movie business.”

Beyoncé

Even though Gerber had the two well-known figures on the project, the timing was simply not on his side. These talents would have undoubtedly resulted in a completely different movie than A Star Is Born. The role of the male lead was also rumored to go to Christian Bale, Will Smith, Tom Cruise, and Leonardo DiCaprio.

In January 2011, it was revealed that Clint Eastwood was in talks to helm Beyoncé in a third American remake of the 1937 film, A Star Is Born. However, the project was delayed due to the CUFF IT singer’s pregnancy.

Why Tom Cruise Couldn’t Make It?

The process began in 2011 when Clint Eastwood was casting for his movie, A Star is Born, which he had planned to direct. Leonardo DiCaprio was originally slated to play the lead. Alas, the 93-year-old actor-filmmaker had to start looking for a new lead after DiCaprio made the decision to withdraw.

Tom Cruise was one of Hollywood’s biggest stars at the time (and still is), so Eastwood met with him to talk about the possibility of casting him as the lead. They reportedly got along well, and the Jack Reacher actor even expressed interest in working with Beyoncé.

However, there was a small issue because of Cruise’s prior work commitments. Thus, it was never meant to be. After Beyoncé ultimately decided against taking the part, Eastwood was forced to look elsewhere.

Tom Cruise

Ultimately, Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga starred as the lead actors in the 2018 film, A Star is Born. It is intriguing to consider how the movie might have evolved if Cruise and Beyoncé had starred. Given their exceptional acting abilities, it is not difficult to picture them complementing each other on screen.

Regardless of the reason, it is obvious that A Star Is Born was still a hit with its final cast. The movie enjoyed commercial and critical success.

Ultimately, even though it is entertaining to imagine what might have been, we should also value the outcome for what it was. A Star Is Born was a stirring movie that brilliantly displayed the skills of its talented cast, and it will undoubtedly be regarded as a classic for years to come.

If you haven’t seen this classic piece, you can watch it on Apple TV or Amazon Prime Video.