Why Garth Brooks Turned Down A Role In Saving Private Ryan
It turns out there are quite a few country music stars who have made the jump from their singing careers to being in front of the camera. A couple of the most successful have to be, of course, Tim McGraw (who boasts acting credits in the likes of "Tommorowland," "The Blind Side," and "1883") and Dolly Parton (who's appeared in the likes of "Steal Magnolias" and "Joyful Noise"). Plenty of others have made the leap too though, with the likes of Carrie Underwood popping up in "Soul Surfer," Reba McEntire landing herself a role in "Titanic," and even Willie Nelson, who's acted in a number of big screen movies, including 2005's "Dukes of Hazzard" alongside Jessica Simpson, as well as starring in "Honeysuckle Rose" and "Wag The Dog."
But did you know Garth Brooks came pretty darn close to joining the ranks of those country stars with big movies under their belts? Yep, it turns out that the "If Tomorrow Never Comes" singer (who's played himself in a few productions, like "Mad About You") was almost an actor as well and could even have landed himself a role in none other than "Saving Private Ryan." But he apparently had a pretty interesting reason for turning the 1998 Steven Spielberg directed production down, which may just surprise you.
Garth Brooks apparently wanted to be the star of 'Saving Private Ryan'
Garth Brooks apparent no so humble reason for turning down a role in "Saving Private Ryan" was revealed by Lisa Sanderson, who was once CEO of Brooks' movie and television production company, Red Strokes Entertainment Inc. Sanderson filed a lawsuit against the country music star back in 2013 and didn't hold back when it came to calling out Brooks, claiming in her legal filing, per TMZ, that he is, in her words, a "paranoid, angry, deceitful and vindictive man who will turn against those closest to him on a dime." Ouch.
Sanderson backed up that point by claiming Brooks was supposedly offered a role as a sniper in the blockbuster movie, but vetoed because he wanted to be the star and wasn't willing to potentially be overshadowed by the movie's main stars, including Tom Hanks and Matt Damon. Notably though, the lawsuit was brought about after Sanderson claimed she was given hundreds of thousands of dollars from Brooks as a gift, though he claimed it was a load. In court the following year, per The Tennessean, Brooks came out victorious and Sanderson was ordered to pay back the money.
As for what Brooks said of Sanderson's remarks against him prior to the court's decision? His spokesperson told TMZ, "Mr. Brooks, of course, denies everything in the lawsuit filed today by Lisa Sanderson."
Garth Brooks reportedly turned down several major projects
It seems like "Saving Private Ryan" wasn't the only big movie Garth Brooks apparently pumped the brakes on, though. According to Lisa Sanderson, Brooks allegedly shot down several big movie and TV projects that were presented to him, including a role in 1996's "Twister" for similar reasons, because he supposedly didn't want to be upstaged by the weather. The other big projects that could have put the country star on the big and small screen? According to the lawsuit, ABC apparently came to with a show called "The Lamb" about the life of a rockstar, but claimed Brooks allegedly refused because he would not share the music publishing rights, while he also wouldn't work on "Alice In Wonderland" because he wanted to co-write the script.
Brooks doesn't appear to have spoken out specifically about the big time projects he apparently turned down aside from denying Sanderson's overall claims, though he has admitted he struggled with the intense level of fame he experienced and probbaly hasn't always made the best decisions in his career. "I probably didn't handle it well. A nation watches you grow up, right?" Brooks admitted to Gayle King on "CBS This Morning" in June 2021. "So you're gonna make decisions that you go, 'Man, I wish I could take that one back.'"