What's haunting Corey Feldman? During a recent podcast interview, the veteran actor and 1980s heartthrob confessed to still harboring "bitter" feelings over a missed opportunity in the film "What's Eating Gilbert Grape," a role he believes was snatched away by Johnny Depp.
In a candid conversation with Billy Corgan on his "Magnificent Others" podcast, Feldman unveiled a surprising revelation: he was almost cast as Arnie, the disabled younger brother of Depp's lead character in the 1993 dramatic film. "I was actually meant to play Leonardo DiCaprio's role," he disclosed. "I've never watched the movie because I'm still bitter about it. A bitter leaf, indeed. But yes, I was originally slotted for that part."
Corgan inquired, "Were you edged out?" Feldman nodded, responding, "Johnny Depp. He was cast after me and apparently whispered into the producers' ears that he wasn't fond of me. He claimed I was a junkie and that he didn't work with junkies. This is the first time I'm sharing this story, so I'm prepared for the backlash."
Representatives for Depp did not immediately respond to Entertainment Weekly's request for comment regarding Feldman's allegations.
When Corgan asked if Feldman was indulging in drugs at that time, the "Stand by Me" star firmly denied it. "I was sober. I had just emerged from rehab," he emphasized. "I had turned my life around and was even trying to help River [Phoenix] at that time, who was close with Depp, as we all know."
Feldman continued, painting a vivid picture of his frustration, "Imagine the thorn in my side. Had I not been pushed aside and landed that role, who knows what my career trajectory would have been?"
The actor also pointed out that "Gilbert Grape" marked DiCaprio's first Oscar nomination (he now boasts seven, with one win). "There was indeed a bitter aftertaste," Feldman conceded. "But you don't dwell on these things; you move past them."
Feldman's rivalry with DiCaprio for major roles didn't end with "Gilbert Grape." "Ironically, just a couple of years later, I was also up for 'Titanic,' so it was sort of a double whammy with Leo," he recounted. "But that was alright because I wasn't as close to landing that one. I auditioned, read for it, and knew I was in contention somewhere."
Furthermore, Feldman shared that he auditioned for the role of Samwise Gamgee in the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, a part that ultimately went to his "Goonies" co-star Sean Astin. "I was actually in the running for Sean's role, and I heard I came pretty close," he said. "Though I couldn't have gained the weight, so I'll give him that. He did an exceptional job physically transforming for the role. It's something I physically couldn't do."
