Rachael Leigh Cook Regrets Turning Down This Role In 'X-Men'

No doubt, we all make mistakes and have some regrets. But what if one of them costs missing out on starring in a major superhero franchise?

Famous for her role in "She's All That" and "Josie And The Pussycats," Rachael Leigh Cook has been in the Hollywood space for some time. The stunning 42-year-old actress has been on the screens since she was seven years old.

Like most celebrities, she has gone through ups and downs in her acting career. But, there's one mistake that she hasn't seemed to get over.

Cook revealed she once had a shot at acting as Rogue in "X-Men."

The American actress admitted to turning down the offer to star in the popular Marvel Franchise. Although she tried to keep the decision hidden, she refers to it as a "huge misstep" made in her early career. Why did she do it? Keep reading to find out.

Cook is an American actress, producer, model, and voice artist born on October 4, 1979, in Minnesota, United States.

She began her journey into stardom professionally at the age of ten. She first starred in television commercials and advertisements as a child model nationwide. She was also the star of an anti-drug campaign raised to create awareness of hard drugs like heroin and their effects.

At just 15 years old, Cook landed her first acting gig in the 1995 movie, "The Baby-Sitters Club," as Mary Anne Spicer. In 1999, she landed another lead role as Laney Boggs in "She's All That," which found top box office success.

She was also featured in the television series "Into The West," which earned her an award. As a model, she appeared on the cover of FHM in the year 2000 and earned a spot on the list of Sexiest Women Alive.

Cook was given a chance to play the role of Rogue in the blockbuster film "X-Men," which launched in 2000. She admitted to turning down the part because she didn't want to work with green screen technology during her profile at the New York Times.

She saw her decision as a "huge mistake" and regretted not getting in on the ground floor of the superhero movie when it first began.

Looking back on the situation, Cook acknowledged there wasn't any solid reason for declining. She highlighted she took the opinion of everyone who felt acting the part would make the public not take her seriously.

She also recalled the remorse that hit her after she saw posters of the movie. "I definitely did things for the wrong reasons," she said.

As a result, the role's slot was given to her "She's All That" co-star Anna Pacquin.

After the wave of her "X-Men" decision passed, she went on to star in low-profile movies. She featured in "Josie And The Pussycats" in 2001, a 2000's hit but didn't perform well in the box office.

Unfortunately, none of the projects Cook passed up in place of a role in "X-Men" were half as successful as the blockbuster. The movie continued to amass worldwide love and fans.

As the saying goes, "Out of sight, out of mind." No doubt, seeing her former co-star make several cameos as Rogue in the X-Men franchise over the last two decades added more salt to the wound. While it remains a sore spot for her, she's also achieved success in other areas throughout the years.

After some time off-camera, she featured as Anna Sawyer in the 2021 Netflix film "He's All That," a remake of "She's All That" alongside Tik-Tok star turned actress Addison Rae.

With the successful production and reception of the over 13 films, fans have grown to love the superhero franchise. Since 2000, it has grossed over $6 billion at the box office.

Plus, the "X-Men" brand saw a dramatic transition in 2019 when Marvel Studios acquired the film rights to "X-Men" after acquiring Disney's 21st Century Fox. Indeed, things could only get better.

All the X-Men films were relaunched as Marvel Legacy movies on Disney+ in October 2020. The X-Men series, on the other hand, is still bound for success with Marvel. Rumors believe Rogue would be among the first appearances in Captain Marvel Franchise and might star as a villain in the sequel.

With stars like Hugh Jackman (Wolverine), Halle Berry (Storm), and Marvel Studios allegedly planning to release the film on November 22, fans are super excited to see what the future holds for the "X-Men."