20 Celebs Who Were Turned Down for Roles Because They Were "Too Ugly" & 20 That Were Turned Down for Being "Too Pretty"

When we think of Hollywood, we usually think of gorgeous celebrities, glamorous lifestyles, and endless opportunities. In reality, some of the biggest stars have been turned down because of their appearance. Some are deemed too ugly or plain, while others are deemed too attractive or appealing. The celebs on this list were either passed over for roles, or nearly missed out on them because of their looks. Join us as we see which top performers were told they were too ugly or too pretty for a part.

Meryl Streep

Starting off our list is comedian, actor, and screenwriter Keegan-Michael Key. The star's parentage has some rather satisfying symmetry. Firstly, he was born in Michigan to a black father - Leroy McDuffie - and a white mother - Carrie Herr.

When Keegan-Michael Key was adopted, it was also by an interracial couple. Detroit social workers Michael Key and Patricia Walsh became the star's adoptive parents when he was still very young. Like his birth parents, Michael is African American while Patricia is white. He has since reunited with his birth mom.

Emily Ratajkowski

Some of the adoptions on this list are rather confusing, including that of Jack Nicholson. The celebrated actor is the son of a teenage mom who was just 16 when he was born. Because of this, his grandmother decided to adopt him and raise him as her own.

This means that Nicholson was raised not knowing that his sister was actually his biological mother. Or that his mother was really his grandmother. The actor didn't find out this crucial information until each woman had passed away.

Reese Witherspoon

Rapper Ice T had a rather traumatic childhood that ultimately led to his adoption. The star was born Tracy Lauren Marrow in New Jersey to Solomon and Alice Marrow. Sadly, Alice passed away from a heart attack when Tracy was in third grade, so his father raised him alone for four years.

When he was just 13, Ice T's father also died of a heart attack. At this point, the orphaned child was adopted by his aunt and uncle into an upper-middle-class black neighborhood in LA.

Charlize Theron

Tony Award-winning Broadway star Kristin Chenoweth is our next celebrity that was adopted. The singer and actress was adopted at just five days old by a couple from Tulsa. Junie Smith Chenoweth and Jerry Morris Chenoweth were both chemical engineers, and named their new daughter Kristi Dawn.

In later life, Kristin Chenoweth met her birth mother. She has said she "knew that my birth mother loved me so much that she wanted to give me a better life."