When casting for THE LORD OF THE RINGS: FELLOWSHIP OF THE RINGS began back in 1999, 150 different actors auditioned to play Frodo Baggins for Peter Jackson. Obviously Elijah Wood ended up getting the part, and he did an outstanding job as the little hero. Jake Gyllenhaal was apparently also interested in the role, but according to the actor, his audition did not go well at all.
Gyllenhaal and five other actors (Matthew McConaughey, Forest Whitaker, Jared Leto, Josh Brolin and Michael B. Jordan) were invited by THR to one of their annual awards season roundtables, and when they were asked about their strangest auditions, Jake Gyllenhaal revealed he had bad one for THE LORD OF THE RINGS.
I remember auditioning for The Lord of the Rings [the role of Frodo] and going in and not being told that I needed a British accent. I really do remember Peter Jackson saying to me, "You know that you have to do this in a British accent?" We heard back it was literally one of the worst auditions.
Oops. There are tons of examples of famous casting "what ifs," and while some are interesting and could have worked (Tom Selleck as Indiana Jones), others were just bad ideas from the start (remember when Ashton Kutcher was almost Batman?) Jake Gyllenhaal is a fine actor, but I feel like Elijah Wood was a perfect fit for the part. Gyllenhaal could have been a decent Frodo, but I'm glad Wood ended up getting the role, and I think the films were better off with Elijah Wood as the character.
But you're glad that audition for PRINCE OF PERSIA: THE SANDS OF TIME went so well, right Mr. Gyllenhaal? Mr. Gyllenhaal? Hey, where'd he go?