Like every Hollywood A-Lister, Tom Cruise doesn't stand a chance of taking every part he's offered. He'd never get a day off if he did! Cruise was the first choice to play 'Iron Man,' and has had to watch as Robert Downey Junior had the time of his life playing the superhero. That's not 'the one that got away' for Cruise, though. His biggest mistake was letting Russell Crowe play John Nash in 'A Beautiful Mind.'
For all the incredible achievements of Cruise's long career, the one accolade that's always escaped him is an Oscar. Incredibly, he's never been selected as 'Best Actor.' 'A Beautiful Mind' was an Oscar-worthy film, winning several awards and gaining a nomination for 'Best Actor.' It didn't win, but if it had been Cruise in the role could he have picked up the award where Crowe failed? We'll never know, but it might have been Cruise's best shot, and he missed out.