Whitney Higginson Saturday 28 July 2012 9:22am

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by WHITNEY HIGGINSON

Could you imagine anyone other than Sarah Jessica Parker playing the role of Carrie Bradshaw? I can’t.

In my head, SJP was always meant to be the lead in Sex and the City, writing about her sexcapades (or sometimes, lack thereof) and looking stunning no matter what she pulled out of that enormous damn wardrobe of hers.

Seriously, I challenge you to imagine another actress in that role. Can you picture Katie Holmes wearing that fabulous Vivienne Westwood with a bird on her head? How about Nicole Kidman in the arms of Mr Big or Aiden? And Gwyneth Paltrow could never have pulled off the bag and shoe stealing scene with that same panache.

And Matthew Broderick is not Matthew Broderick. He is Ferris Bueller. You know, the bad boy who skipped school, did the Twist and Shout on national live TV and ‘borrowed’ a ferrari. And he stole our hearts by doing so.

But the actors in these cult classics weren’t necessarily destined to play those roles.

In fact, some of our best loved stars were only made famous by the film and TV roles that they were never supposed to have.

Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump was a second choice. A SECOND CHOICE. CRAZY. (But luckily he was also the right one.)

Desperate Housewives star Dana Delany turned down Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and The City

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Which famous actors and actresses would you have preferred to see in iconic roles?