Highlights
- Gwen Stefani auditioned for the lead role opposite Brad Pitt in "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" but ultimately chose music over acting.
- Stefani revealed her passion for acting and how it felt similar to performing music.
- Losing the role to Angelina Jolie could have changed Brad Pitt's personal life, as rumors of their relationship swirled during the movie's production while he was still married to Jennifer Aniston.
Gwen Stefani was one of the key rock and roll figures of the 90s. As the lead singer of No Doubt, she took over the charts with the band's unique style and lyrics. The band successfully transitioned into the 2000s, but went their separate ways by the middle of the decade.
It was around this time that Stefani was seeking to expand her horizons and enter different creative ventures. In addition to starting a solo music career and clothing line, she wanted to get into acting.
In the end, Stefani decided not to pursue acting to a high degree, because music was more important to her. However, there was one film role Stefani auditioned for that would have seen her starring alongside Brad Pitt. Had Stefani been cast, it would've led to a very different outcome in Pitt's personal life.
Gwen Stefani Auditioned For The Lead Role Opposite Brad Pitt In 'Mr. And Mrs. Smith'
In 2016, Stefani was a guest on The Howard Stern Show and discussed a wide range of topics from her life to her career. Stefani was discussing her life after No Doubt initially disbanded and she embarked on a solo career.
In addition to beginning a new chapter of her music career, Stefani revealed she wanted to delve into acting as well. This is when she admitted to Stern that she auditioned for the lead role opposite Brad Pitt in Mr. and Mrs. Smith, saying, "I feel like I almost got it."
"I went to a bunch [of auditions]," she told Stern, saying that while she was very passionate about getting into acting, she "wanted to do music more."
In 2008, Stefani once again spoke about her experience auditioning for the role.
"It was between me and Angelina Jolie, and I'm like, 'Oh, great. I got a shot here,'" Stefani said. "The whole acting thing really feels like something I could do. Whenever I've done it, whenever I had moments where it works, it's just like performing. You hit a moment. And that's what movies are: a series of moments."
Mr. and Mrs. Smithended up grossing $487.3 million worldwide.
In 2022, Stefani appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and mentioned losing the role to Angelina Jolie during the game "Burning Questions."
"What movie role have you auditioned for that people would be surprised to know?" DeGeneres asked Stefani.
When she told DeGeneres that she auditioned for Mr. and Mrs. Smith, she said, "Angelina beat me!"
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The couple's latest public appearance says a lot given the ongoing divorce rumors they've been faced with for months.
"Wow, that could have gone a whole different way," DeGeneres joked.
Stefani replied, "That could've been a different story!"
The two were referring to the rumors regarding Pitt's relationship with Jolie during the movie's production, which took place while he was still married to Jennifer Aniston.
Brad Met Angelina Jolie While Filming 'Mr. And Mrs. Smith' During His Marriage To Jennifer Aniston
Aniston and Pitt began dating in the late 90s; confirming their relationship on the Emmy red carpet in 1999. In the summer of 2000, the couple were married and Pitt even guest starred on Friends the following year.
In 2004, Aniston told The Guardian that she was looking forward to having children with Pitt.
"It's time. It's time. You know, I think you can work with a baby, I think you can work pregnant, I think you can do all of it. So I'm just truly looking forward to slowing down," she said.
However, cheating rumors began to swirl around Pitt and his Mr. and Mrs. Smith co-star Angelina Jolie that May. In January 2005, the couple announced their separation and Aniston filed for divorce that March.
Meanwhile, Pitt's relationship with Jolie was not only confirmed, but being flaunted everywhere. In July that year, Pitt posed with Jolie for a photo spread in W Magazine.
RelatedNot Every Celeb Was Impressed During Jennifer Aniston's Public Reunion With Brad Pitt
Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt reunited at the SAG Awards, but one person in particular call the moment out.
"Is it odd timing? Yeah. But it’s not my life. He makes his choices. He can do—whatever. We’re divorced, and you can see why. I can also imagine Brad having absolutely no clue why people would be appalled by it," Aniston said at the time. "Brad is not mean-spirited; he would never intentionally try to rub something in my face. In hindsight, I can see him going, ‘Oh—I can see that that was inconsiderate.’ But I know Brad. Brad would say, ‘That’s art!' There’s a sensitivity chip that’s missing."
Jennifer Aniston Said Her Relationship With Vince Vaughn Helped Her Heal From The Divorce
Aniston met Vince Vaughn when they were working on the film The Break-Up in 2005. The two actors co-starred in the 2006 romance and a romance blossomed in real life as well.
Their relationship lasted one year, with the couple announcing their split in December 2006. Not much was said by Aniston nor Vaughn about their relationship for a while. Then, in 2008, Aniston shared her thoughts on the relationship when speaking to Vogue.
RelatedVince Vaughn Has Been Married Since 2010 But He Still Chooses To Keep His Relationship Life Quiet
After his very public relationship with Jennifer Aniston, Vince Vaughn wanted to keep his next relationship private.
"I call Vince my defibrillator," Aniston, who met Vaughn the year she filed for divorce from Pitt, told the outlet. "He literally brought me back to life. My first gasp of air was a big laugh! It was great. I love him. He’s a bull in a china shop. He was lovely and fun and perfect for the time we had together. And I needed that. And it sort of ran its course."
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