The one time when Matthew McConaughey almost played Jack in James Cameron’s Titanic

Can you imagine Matthew McConaughey as Jack Dawson? Here's how creative differences with Cameron cost him the role.

Matthew McConaughey came close to landing the role of Jack Dawson in Titanic, but a disagreement during the audition process allegedly cost him the part, according to an excerpt from the late producer Jon Landau’s memoir The Bigger Picture, shared in journalist Matthew Belloni’s newsletter What I’m Hearing.

According to Landau, McConaughey was invited to audition alongside Kate Winslet to test for on-screen chemistry — a crucial factor in James Cameron’s casting process, noting, “You want to check for chemistry, not just how people look on film but how they interact. McConaughey, then a rising star, delivered what Landau described as a strong audition.“Kate was taken with Matthew, his presence and charm. Matthew did the scene with the drawl”, Landau wrote.

But the turning point came when Cameron asked McConaughey to adjust his accent — an essential note, as Cameron envisioned Jack as having a neutral, timeless dialect that wouldn’t feel out of place or too regional. According to Landau, the actor refused to comply with Cameron’s request, responding simply, “No. That was pretty good. Thanks.” The brief but firm pushback is said to have ended McConaughey’s chances of playing the now-famous character.

The role ultimately went to Leonardo DiCaprio, though even his audition wasn’t without drama. In a 2022 interview with GQ, Cameron recalled that DiCaprio initially declined to read lines during a test shoot, saying, “Oh, I don’t read.” Cameron told the actor that he wouldn’t get the role unless he did the reading, at which point DiCaprio agreed — and impressed everyone in the room.

“Kate just lit up,” Cameron remembered. “Dark clouds had opened up and a ray of sun came down and lit up Jack. I’m like, ‘Alright, he’s the guy." The casting of DiCaprio and Winslet would go on to define one of the most beloved film pairings in movie history, with Titanic earning 11 Academy Awards and grossing over $2 billion worldwide.