John Lithgow’s Biggest Career Regrets: Roles He Passed Up Twice
John Lithgow opens up about turning down two legendary roles—Frasier Crane on Cheers and the Joker in Tim Burton’s Batman—reflecting on the choices he now wishes he’d made differently.
Whenever John Lithgow appears on screen, audiences know they’re in for a treat. With a career full of memorable performances and a reputation as one of Hollywood ’s most beloved figures, it ’s easy to assume he’s always made the right moves. But even the most accomplished actors have moments they wish they could take back. Lithgow, for all his success, has a couple of career decisions that still haunt him.
Turning Down Frasier Crane
Back in the early days of Cheers, producers had their sights set on Lithgow for the role of Frasier Crane. At the time, though, he didn’t see television as a step forward. He declined the offer, believing that working in TV was a notch below his ambitions. Looking back, it’s a choice that seems almost unthinkable, especially considering how iconic the character became. Ironically, Lithgow was also initially passed over for the part of Roberta in The World According to Garp, a role that would later earn him an Oscar nomination. Both moments serve as reminders that even the best can misjudge an opportunity.
The Joker That Got Away
In a candid conversation with Vulture, Lithgow shared another story of a missed chance—this time, for the role of the Joker in Tim Burton’s 1989 Batman. He described the audition as the worst of his career, admitting,
“I tried to persuade him I was not right for the part, and I succeeded,”
and added,
“I didn’t realize it was such a big deal.”
The film would go on to become a massive hit, marking a new era for superhero movies and cementing Jack Nicholson’s place as the definitive Joker for a generation.
Missed Opportunities and Second Chances
Interestingly, Burton wasn’t the only director who saw Lithgow as a potential Joker. Joe Dante, who was offered a shot at a Batman film after Gremlins, also wanted him for the villain. That project never materialized, but Lithgow still had to make a tough call. He explained to Entertainment Weekly,
“I was doing M Butterfly on Broadway, and it was an exhausting show. It would have meant leaving that show and going right into a movie, and I said, ‘I just don’t think I can’. How about that for stupid? Actors are not necessarily smart people.”
In hindsight, it’s hard to imagine anyone but Nicholson in the role, but Lithgow’s reflections show just how unpredictable a career in Hollywood can be. With Batman’s enduring popularity, there’s always a chance the door could open again—if he ever wants to walk through it.