Dennis Quaid Turned Down A Major Role In One Of Kevin Costner's Best Sports Movies

Kevin Costner and Dennis Quaid are like two sides of the same coin. They have winning smiles and frequently portray the all-American, wholesome, letterman-jacket type — the kind that starred in the popular genre films of the 1990s: rom-coms and sports movies. They previously worked together in the Western flop "Wyatt Earp," but they almost starred in another film: "Tin Cup."

Released in 1996, "Tin Cup" sought to emulate the success of Costner's sensual baseball rom-com "Bull Durham" (which is generally ranked among Costner's all-time best movies). Both films revolve around a love triangle between a talented but underachieving athlete and an equally talented star, with sports serving as a way of life that helps the love interests bond and learn more about one another. In "Tin Cup" specifically, Costner plays Roy "Tin Cup" McAvoy, a cynical, chaotic slob and the complete opposite of David Simms (Don Johnson), the preppy, suave, PGA Tour-famous boyfriend of Roy's would-be romantic interest, Dr. Molly Griswold (Rene Russo).

Speaking to Business Insider, Quaid revealed that he was actually meant to play David at one point. "It's so funny, I was offered T'in Cup,' the Don Johnson role [...] I was already doing another movie that I wanted to do," he explained. "But, yeah, what was I thinking? It's one of the best golf movies ever made." Given when "Tin Cup" was made, Quaid was likely filming Lasse Hallström's "Something to Talk About" alongside the rom-com queen at that time, Julia Roberts. Still, while Quaid is a great actor and may not regret starring in "Tin Cup," the film would've certainly had a very different vibe with him in it.

Don Johnson is certainly just as charming as Dennis Quaid, but he's easily able to tap into his "Tin Cup" character's slick, country-club coolness. David Simms is polished and put-together, but he's also smug and carries himself with the confidence of his wealth and success. He still manages to be charming all the same, even though he claims to hate "old people, children, and dogs." This makes him the perfect foil to Kevin Costner's Roy McAvoy, a freewheeling rebel with a golf club and the owner of a run-down driving range.

Quaid, on the other hand, has a more rugged and approachable persona. He usually plays everyman characters you want to root for — which is also what made it so shocking when he portrayed a giant sexist pig in the gonzo body horror movie "The Substance." Quaid fits the handsome underdog mold just as well as Costner does, and while that's not to say he couldn't break out of that box, Johnson helps give "Tin Cup" its underdog versus elite-snob tension, which wouldn't be as strong if Quaid were in the role. If anything, it would've been a lot harder for Rene Russo's character, Dr. Molly Griswold, to choose between them.