Edward James Olmos

Was offered the role of Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Raumschiff Enterprise: Das nächste Jahrhundert (1987). He would have been contractually obligated to work exclusively on the series, and not do any other projects while under contract. He wanted the flexibility to be able to work on multiple projects, and declined the role on that basis. Sir Patrick Stewart was eventually cast.

Sometimes you gotta do things that you don't really want to do. But you don't do them for money.