Robert Redford Lost The Best Coming-of-Age Movie Because He’d Never Had a Failed Date

Robert Redford lost two iconic movie roles for being too handsome, paving the way for stars like Dustin Hoffman and Clint Eastwood.

Robert Redford once came close to starring in one of the most famous coming-of-age films ever made, The Graduate.

But surprisingly, he lost the role for a reason that had nothing to do with his acting skills.

Turns out, director Mike Nichols felt Redford was simply too charming and too good-looking to play Benjamin Braddock.

Considering how Benjamin was a character defined by awkwardness and insecurity, Nichols needed someone who could genuinely play the part.

But since Redford wanted the role badly, he even screen-tested with Candice Bergen.

However, despite everything, Nichols told Vanity Fair, that he believed audiences wouldn’t buy Redford as someone struggling to fit in.

I said, ‘You can’t play it.

You can never play a loser.’ And Redford said, ‘What do you mean? Of course I can play a loser.’ And I said, ‘O.K., have you ever struck out with a girl?’ and he said, ‘What do you mean?’ And he wasn’t joking.

During a later screening in 2003, Mike Nichols revealed that he asked Robert Redford if he had ever failed with women or been rejected on a date.

Redford’s honest confusion showed he had never experienced that kind of failure, thus making him the wrong choice for the part.

Instead, the role went to Dustin Hoffman, changing film history forever.

Dustin Hoffman Replaced Robert Redford With His Boyish Sensibilities in The Graduate 

In Mike Nichols’ 1967 film The Graduate, the story follows Benjamin Braddock, a fresh college graduate who feels lost about his future.

And it’s because of this plot, the film felt so relatable and became a coming-of-age story.

Viewers basically connected with Benjamin’s confusion because it reflected the struggles of young adulthood.

Image.

Image.

Image.

Image.

But then, things take a dramatic turn when he gets caught up in an affair with Mrs. Robinson, the wife of a family friend, which later complicates things even more when he falls for her daughter, Elaine.

This is where Dustin Hoffman’s performance works perfectly because his natural awkwardness matched Benjamin’s insecure personality.

Hoffman’s ability to play upon his boyish sensibilities, while capturing the feeling of overwhelm and confusion, turned the film both funny and believable.

And that’s something that Robert Redford would have never managed to deliver with his natural confidence.

Even the final scene, the bus ride with Elaine, became unforgettable because of Hoffman’s awkwardness.

The table contains basic details on The Graduate:

Movie
The Graduate

Director
Mike Nichols

Cast
Dustin Hoffman, Anne Bancroft, Katharine Ross, and William Daniels

Rotten Tomatoes Score
87%

Runtime
1h 46m

Dustin Hoffman’s balance of nervousness and charm made this moment iconic.

Meanwhile, Robert Redford, who was already starring as a confident romantic lead in Barefoot in the Park that same year, wouldn’t have been nearly as effective in the role.

That’s why Hoffman, not Redford, was the right choice, earning him an Oscar nomination.

Robert Redford’s Good-Look Yet Again Cost Him a Role in Clint Eastwood’s Romantic Drama 

Meanwhile, The Graduate was not the only time Robert Redford’s good looks got in the way of his career.

In the mid-1990s, he was considered for the lead role in The Bridges of Madison County, a romantic drama later taken over by Clint Eastwood.

The film was based on a bestselling novel and had all the elements to become a timeless love story.

Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep in The Bridges of Madison County | image: Warner Bros.

At first, Steven Spielberg owned the rights to the project and planned to have Sydney Pollack direct.

During that stage, Redford was seriously considered for the role of Robert Kincaid, the wandering photographer who falls in love with a lonely housewife.

However, producers worried that Redford looked too polished to play a rugged, earthy traveler (via EW).

He’s such a matinee idol as opposed to a rough, earthy guy.

Clint has more edge.

That’s when Clint Eastwood stepped in to play the role of Robert Kincaid.

His grizzled, understated style fit the role in a way that Redford’s charm could not.

But then, as Sydney Pollack dropped the opportunity to direct the film, Eastwood took dual roles as the film’s director and star.

The decision eventually paid off, as the movie became a huge success.

Share your opinions on Robert Redford’s lost opportunity and how he shaped the industry.

The Graduate is currently streaming in the US on Kanopy. 

The Bridges of Madison County is currently streaming in the US on Netflix.