Why Sean Connery refused to play Gandalf role in Lord of the Rings

Veteran star Sean Connery refused to portray the character of Gandalf in the hit movie franchiseLord of the Ringsbecause he didn't understand the script. According to BusinessStandard.com, the actor was offered a huge payout for the role but he turned it down because he was unable to understand the part.

"Even a veteran star like Sean can make a mistake so big that it causes him to lose out on a mind-blowing amount of money. In order to convince Connery to sign on to the film, the producers pulled out all the stops,” Brian Warner of Celebritynetworth.com said. "In addition to a £6 million per film salary, they offered Connery 15 per cent of the box office for all three movies. In what would turn out to be a monumentally poor decision, Connery declined the part because he "did not understand the script".

Connery’s loss, however, turned out to be Sir Ian MCKellen’s gain. About the role, Connery had said: "I never understood it. I read the book. I read the script. I saw the movie. I still don't understand it. Ian MCKellen, I believe, is marvellous in it."