Tom Cruise turned down 'Milk' role

Washington (ANI): Actor Tom Cruise was initially offered the acclaimed role played by James Brolin in the 2008 biographical Milk. Director Gus Van Sant revealed his first choice for the part of Dan White, a Vietnam veteran and an ex police officer and firefighter, was Cruise, hoping the actor, along side Sean Penn, would set the controversial film to a fiery start.

"I thought if I connected those two guys (Cruise and Penn) at the time I could go into the studio and say, ''Look, I have these two guys' and they would do it", Contactmusic quoted him as saying. "There was always the problem with the gay community aspect of the film so they needed a reason to overcome that fear that they had of making a film that wasn't going to have a very big return money wise, so that was my plan," he added.

The movie has been speculated to draw much attention at the Academy Award ceremony next month.