He may seem like the perfect choice for Axel Foley now, but Eddie Murphy wasn't the first actor considered for the role that made him a movie star. Paramount had considered a who's who of big name actors for the role, including James Caan:
Al Pacino:
Mickey Rourke:
And their eventual choice, Sylvester Stallone:
Wait, what? Yes, the role of Axel Foley originally belonged to Sylvester Stallone. He had even arrived on the set to begin filming, but he allegedly flew into a rage over his trailer. It seems that someone had placed the wrong brand of orange juice in his trailer. Not willing to deal with his diva-like behavior, Stallone was fired and replaced by Eddie Murphy. It would be a fortuitous casting change.
