Sean Connery Passed on a Role That Could Have Paid Him $450 Million — Because He Didn't Understand the Script

Sean Connery became a global star as James Bond, but one of his most famous missed opportunities involved a fantasy franchise.

The Scottish actor played the British secret agent in seven films, beginning with Dr. No in 1962. His career also included acclaimed performances in The Untouchables, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and The Hunt for Red October.

However, in the late 1990s, Connery turned down the role of Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings trilogy because he could not understand the story. New Line Cinema offered him the role of the wise wizard who guides Frodo Baggins and his companions.