Hugh Jackman
In addition to all the up and coming actors who have played Bond, there are plenty of stars who almost got the part, but didn’t go through with it for various reasons. One such actor is the “Greatest Showman” himself, Hugh Jackman. In the early 2000s (likely as an alternative to Pierce Brosnan in “Die Another Day”), Jackman was asked by studio executives if he’d like to play Bond. Jackman turned the role down to do “X2,” which was a smart move for his career.