Mumbai: Speaking at the TIFF Tribute Awards, Channing Tatum revealed he turned down the lead role in Derek Cianfrance’s 2010 film Blue Valentine, a part that ultimately went to Ryan Gosling. Tatum, who is now working with Cianfrance on the film Roofman, admitted he was “just scared” to take on the emotionally demanding role.
Cianfrance had initially approached Tatum after seeing his performance in the 2006 drama A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, believing in his ability to tell stories through his physicality. However, Tatum felt unprepared for the raw, complex portrayal of a disintegrating marriage, confessing he hadn’t experienced a relationship like that at the time. He believes he may have “blocked it out” due to a sense of regret but acknowledges that Ryan Gosling’s performance “killed that,” suggesting the role wasn’t “spiritually” meant for him.
