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Actor Paul Bettany first became widely known thanks to his role as Geoffrey Chaucer in 2001's A Knight's Tale, but his big break almost came years earlier as he was cast in a major role in 1995's Braveheart, before being unceremoniously dropped from the cast without warning.

"I learned an amazing lesson," Bettany told Happy Sad Confused about the experience. "I auditioned - I didn't audition, because Mel Gibson wouldn't let actors read. He just wanted to meet you. And at the end of it, he said 'OK, you're in Braveheart,' And I went  'What? I'm in Braveheart?' He went 'Yup, you're in Braveheart.' As you probably noticed, I'm not in Braveheart. I was still at drama school, and it taught me a really good lesson, which is that, the biggest star in the world, as he was then, really, and the director of the film, and the producer of the film can say you're in the movie, and you'll not be in the movie. So that was a really good lesson."

Bettany was originally cast as Prince Edward in Braveheart, son of the film's main antagonist King Edward I AKA Longshanks. The role was ultimately played by Peter Hanly, with the character's portrayal apparently very different from what was eventually put on film.

All things considered, things worked out for Bettany in the long run, with his role in A Knight's Tale rocketing him into the public consciousness. And now he's moved into the role of the Vision in the Marvel Cinematic Universe which he will resume in the upcoming VisionQuest streaming series that dives back into Vision's relationship with his villainous creator Ultron.

Braveheart also fared quite well in its run, becoming a box office and critical success and racking up a whopping 10 Oscar nominations, winning five including Best Picture, Best Director for Mel Gibson, Best Cinematography, Best Makeup, and Best Sound Effects Editing, remaining a beloved film to this day.

VisionQuest marks the third in a series of MCU shows focusing on Wanda Maximoff and Vision and their supporting cast following 2021's WandaVision and 2024's Agatha All Along. The series is set to premiere October 14 on Disney Plus. It's expected that Bettany will return as Vision in Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars, though Bettany himself says Marvel could change its plans at any time.

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