From The Mind of Merc - Rejected Actors

Sometimes I find my mind wandering over various eclectic topics and occasionally I am inspired to write some of them down. Today I was thinking about drama schools.

Following on from last month's post about publishers, another area in which those with questionable senses of judgment potentially negatively impact the enjoyment in the world is drama schools.

It is a well-known adage that those who can't, teach. But maybe they also can't judge.

Here is a list of actors who were initially rejected or expelled from their establishments of dramatic education:

Rejected
- Carey Mulligan: This Oscar nominated actress was rejected by every drama school she applied to (thankfully Julian Fellowes was able to help her start her career)
- Rosamund Pike: After being rejected by every drama school she applied to, she landed a part as a Bond girl in Die Another Day
- Daniel Craig: Future Bond actor, Craig, was rejected by RADA, LAMDA and the Young Vic before being accepted at the Barbican
- Hugh Jackman: The award-winning actor - best known currently for his role as Wolverine - was rejected by NIDA but got into WAAPA
- Tom Hardy: This versatile thespian was rejected by RADA and expelled by the London Drama Centre (though fortunately he was allowed back in the following year)
- Rachel Griffiths: After being rejected by the National Institute of Dramatic Art, she joined a local community theatre group which led to her award-winning performance in the 1994 film Muriel's Wedding
- Anthony La Paglia: Also rejected by NIDA, this award-winning actor's career took off when he made the move from Australia to America
BONUS - Steven Spielberg: This globally-renowned director was rejected by the University of Southern California School of Cinema not once but twice(!)

Expelled
- Denholm Elliott: The much-loved award-winning actor was asked to leave RADA after a year
- Jon Pertwee: The future Doctor Who actor was kicked out of RADA for refusing to be a wind (this was after he was rejected by Central due to his lisp)
- Charles Laughton: Consoled his fellow thesp, Pertwee, with the quip that 'All the best people get chucked out of RADA'
- Rodney Bewes: This Likely Lad was expelled during his final year at RADA
- BONUS - Alec Guinness: Failed to get into RADA as the scholarship was not being offered the year he applied

Again, it makes you wonder how many more skilled and capable thespians never got the chance due to some misplaced judgement they experienced from those they faced at their crucial time.