Claire Danes reveals she was offered the role of Rose in Titanic before Kate Winslet but declined because she felt unprepared after starring with Leonardo DiCaprio in Romeo + Juliet.

Claire Danes recently disclosed that she was offered the role of Rose in the 1997 blockbuster film Titanic before it ultimately went to Kate Winslet. This revelation came during her appearance on the Armchair Expert podcast with Dax Shepard.

During the podcast, Claire Danes admitted to some uncertainty regarding the exact details of the offer. She affirmed that there had been significant interest from the filmmakers. She told Dax, “I think I did. I’m not entirely clear on that. There was strong interest.”

Why did Claire Danes turn down the role of Rose in Titanic?

Despite the opportunity of starring in such a high-profile project, Danes asserted that she would have declined the role regardless. Her decision stemmed from the fact that she had just finished filming Romeo + Juliet alongside Leonardo DiCaprio in Mexico City, where Titanic was scheduled to be shot.

The stardust actress said, “I had just made this romantic epic with Leo in Mexico City, which is where they were going to shoot Titanic! And I just didn’t have it in me.”

Danes expressed that after her experience working with DiCaprio on the romantic epic, she felt unprepared to take on another significant role so soon.

She shared to Shepard, “I was really clear about it. I wasn’t conflicted. It was going to propel me to something I knew I didn’t have the resources to cope with. I knew I had to do a lot of foundation building.”

Claire Danes reveals about Leonardo DiCaprio’s deliberations about Titanic

Interestingly, Danes also shed light on DiCaprio’s own deliberations about Titanic. She recalled witnessing him outside his manager’s office, visibly wrestling with the decision, before ultimately committing to the role of Jack.

She described her conversation with Leonardo: “He just looked up at me and said, ‘I’m doing it! I’m doing it!’ And I could see he wasn’t sure. But he was like, ‘F*** it, I gotta do this thing.’ And I looked down at him, and I was like, ‘I totally understand why you’re doing that. And I’m not ready for that.’ And I think I really wasn’t ready for it. And I remember after that movie came out… and he just went into another stratosphere.”

Despite DiCaprio’s resolve, reflecting on her decision, Danes emphasized that she harbors “zero regrets” about passing on the opportunity.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet’s starrer Titanic is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.