The legendary actor John Wayne turned down a role in Robert Rossen’s 1949 film All the King’s Men, and he even missed out on an Oscar because of it. There are eight John Wayne movies that defined his career, but he could have had a ninth. For most of his decades-long career, Wayne played cowboys and soldiers, and more often than not he played the unambiguous hero. All the King’s Men, however, gave him a chance to play a role completely out of his comfort zone, and John Wayne turned it down.

https://screenrant.com/john-wayne-all-the-kings-men-turn-down-explained/