Billy Bob Thornton shocks Kathy Bates by revealing that he nearly starred in ‘Misery’ with her

Billy Bob Thornton and Kathy Bates almost crossed paths earlier in their careers — but it wasn’t meant to be.

“There was a time I went in and read for [director] Rob Reiner for Misery,” Thornton revealed when the stars sat down to catch up for Variety‘s Actors on Actors series.

The Matlock actress, who played the female lead in Misery and scored an Oscar for her performance, was stunned, replying, “You did not!”

“I swear to God,” Thornton confirmed.

Thornton’s revelation comes after three decades of knowing Bates. They first shared the screen in 1998’s Primary Colors, the Mike Nichols dramedy about a presidential campaign. Eighteen years later, they would reunite for Bad Santa 2. But according to Thornton, they could have starred together in a movie as early as 1990.

“Originally, Richard Farnsworth, who played the sheriff [in Misery], had a deputy,” he explained. “I saw Rob Reiner for it. And Rob said right in the room, ‘You’re the guy. We can send everybody else home.’ I was very excited.”

Unfortunately, creative choices led to his character getting cut from the script before filming even began.

“I got a call from Rob Reiner — not many directors would do this — he called me and he said, ‘Listen, I’ve been looking at the script and been planning out what I’m going to do with this movie,'” Thornton recalled. “He said, ‘You can come up here and shoot this for the money or the insurance or whatever you need, but I’m just telling you it’s not going to be in the movie.'”

The Landman star continued, “He said, ‘I don’t want you to come up here expecting that this is going to be in the movie. And I didn’t want you to be disappointed.'”

In the end, Thornton declined to join the shoot, but he was grateful for Reiner’s handling of the situation. 

“I thought that was very cool of him,” he said.

Bates agreed, “Yeah, very cool.”

Based on the Stephen King horror novel of the same name, Misery stars Bates as Annie Wilkes, the “number-one fan” of romance author Paul Sheldon (James Caan), who saves him after a car wreck, only to jail him in her home and torture him. The film marked a career-defining moment for Bates, who earned the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role.

Though Thornton didn’t get to bask in the glory of Misery, he achieved his own Oscar success within the same decade, racking up international acclaim for writing, directing, and starring in 1996’s Sling Blade. He not only won the award for Best Adapted Screenplay, but also got a nod for Best Actor. He would be nominated again just two years later for his supporting role in A Simple Plan.

Want more movie news? Sign up for Entertainment Weekly‘s free newsletter to get the latest trailers, celebrity interviews, film reviews, and more.

Both stars had accolades and big careers ahead of them when they came together for Primary Colors. And though their characters never come together in the movie, Bates has only fond memories of starring alongside Thornton.

“There was one day, we were in the house, and we were waiting, and you and I were lying on the floor. I remember that,” she said. “You were this way, and I was that way, and our heads were [together], and we were just talking.”

“I remember,” Thornton replied with a smile.

“I don’t know what we were talking about,” said Bates, “but that was fun.”

Watch Thornton and Bates reunite and reminisce in the video above.