Corey Feldman Claims Johnny Depp Said Something That Got Him Axed From ‘Gilbert Grape’ Role

Corey Feldman is shedding light on a decades-old Hollywood fallout, claiming Johnny Depp was the reason he lost out on a major role in the 1993 film "What’s Eating Gilbert Grape."

The "Goonies" actor said he was “originally cast” as Arnie Grape, the role that would go on to earn Leonardo DiCaprio his first Oscar nomination.

According to Corey Feldman, everything changed once Johnny Depp entered the picture.

During a candid appearance on the "Magnificent Others" podcast, Feldman claims, “Johnny Depp … was cast after I was and apparently whispered into the producers’ ear that he wasn’t fond of me."

He also alleged that Depp told producers Feldman “was a junkie” and that he “didn’t work with junkies.”

The "Lost Boys" actor was quick to clarify that he was sober at the time.

“I was sober. I had just gotten sober. I had just gotten out of rehab. I had turned my life around,” he said before adding that he was even trying to help his close friend and fellow actor River Phoenix, who died of an overdose outside Depp’s Viper Room nightclub later that same year.

Feldman admitted he still hasn’t watched the movie and called the lost role “a bit of a thorn in the side.”

“Had I not been pushed out and done that role, who knows what would have happened from that point forward," he said on the podcast. "[But] you don’t hang on those, you get past them.”

He also acknowledged that this was the first time he had publicly shared the story, admitting, “I’m sure I’m gonna get hung by this one.” Feldman predicted the revelation might “piss off some people,” but added, “sometimes you’ve got to do it.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Feldman reflected on other major roles that slipped through his fingers.

He said he was almost cast as Danny Torrance in "The Shining" but was “a little bit too small and a little bit too young.”

Feldman also claimed to have been “in the contention” for roles in "Titanic" and "The Lord of the Rings," both of which ultimately went to Leonardo DiCaprio and Elijah Wood, respectively.

Corey Feldman began his career at a very young age, appearing in commercials and television shows like "Eight Is Enough," "Mork & Mindy," and "Cheers." However, it was his transition into film that catapulted him to stardom.

Feldman's breakout came with Steven Spielberg's production of "Gremlins," where he played Pete Fountaine. But it was in "The Goonies," as the wisecracking Mouth, that Feldman truly became a household name. This was followed by standout performances in "Stand by Me," where he played the emotionally troubled Teddy Duchamp, and "The Lost Boys," in which he portrayed vampire hunter Edgar Frog, a role he would reprise in multiple sequels.

While Feldman’s acting career slowed in the 1990s, he continued to appear in films, TV shows, and reality series.

He also pursued a music career, forming the band Corey Feldman & the Angels, and released several albums, including "Love Left," "Angelic 2 the Core," and "Love Left 2: Arm Me with Love."

Feldman has remained active in the entertainment industry, using his platform to advocate for victims of abuse in Hollywood, a cause he is deeply passionate about due to his own experiences as a child star.

The actor has alleged that he and his close friend, the late Corey Haim, were both victims of sexual abuse at the hands of powerful men in the industry. He’s stated in interviews and his memoir "Coreyography" that this abuse had devastating effects on their lives, leading to years of emotional distress, drug use, and, in Haim’s case, tragic consequences.

Feldman also said that the abuse was an open secret in Hollywood and that many child stars of the time were victimized. He describes it as a “Hollywood pedophile ring” that preyed on vulnerable kids. The actor has repeatedly claimed that his efforts to report this abuse were ignored or dismissed, both by law enforcement and Hollywood insiders.

In 2017, during the wave of #MeToo, he launched a campaign to raise awareness and funds to create a documentary that would expose the truth.