Goonies star Corey Feldman claims Johnny Depp spread ‘junkie’ claims to get him fired from 1993 movie

Corey Feldman has revealed that he is still “bitter” about losing a role in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, and he blames Johnny Depp.

In a recent interview on Billy Corgan’s Magnificent Others podcast, Feldman claimed he was originally cast to play Arnie, the disabled younger brother of Depp’s character in the 1993 drama.

That role ultimately went to Leonardo DiCaprio, which earned him his first Oscar nomination.

Feldman said, “I was actually cast to play Leonardo DiCaprio’s role. I never saw the film because I’m still bitter. Bitter leaf in that one. But yes, I was originally cast for that role.”

When Corgan asked if he was “pushed out”, Feldman pointed the finger at Depp.

Feldman replied, “Johnny Depp.”

He added, “He was cast after I was, and apparently whispered into the producers’ ear that he wasn’t fond of me. He said that I was a junkie and that he didn’t work with junkies.”

“And this is the first time I’ve ever telling this story, so I’m sure I’m gonna get hung by this one.”

Feldman insisted he was sober at the time, having recently completed rehab.

He clarified, “I had just gotten sober. I had turned my life around and, in fact, was trying to help River [Phoenix] at the time, who [Depp] was running with at the time, as we all know.”

Feldman admitted that losing the role left a visceral impact on his Hollywood career.

He went on to say, “As you can imagine, there was a bit of a thorn in the side on that one. And, had I not been pushed out and done that role, who knows what would have happened from that point forward.”

Feldman also revealed that he was in the running for another of DiCaprio’s iconic roles - Jack Dawson in Titanic.

He added, “Ironically, just a couple years later, I also was up for Titanic. That one I wasn’t as close. I read for it, I know that I was in the contention somewhere.”

Additionally, Feldman mentioned that he auditioned for Samwise Gamgee in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, a role that went to his Goonies co-star Sean Astin.

“I was actually up for Sean’s role, and I heard I got pretty close on that as well.”

“Although I couldn’t have gained the weight, so I’ll give him that. He did a great job aesthetically being able to add that weight. It’s something I cannot physically do.”