Gwyneth Paltrow seems like a natural choice to star in "Shakespeare in Love" (now in theaters). But according to the film's original screenwriter, Marc Norman, the role of Lady Viola almost went to Julia Roberts. Nearly five years ago the movie was set to start shooting at Universal with director Ed Zwick ("Legends of the Fall") at the helm and "Stepmom" star Julia Roberts tying on the corsets as Viola. "We were three or four weeks away from shooting, and Julia was in London getting fitted for costumes," Norman tells EW Online.

There was only one catch -- the producers couldn't find a Prince Charming to play the role of the Bard himself. "You've got to find a guy who can do comedy, who can play serious romance, and who looks like he's smart and writes plays," says Norman. "You can usually only get two out of three." Roberts had her own favorite for the part: Daniel Day-Lewis. But the Oscar winner ("My Left Foot") turned down the role -- even after Roberts visited him to make a personal plea.

Ultimately, the right actor couldn't be found, and Roberts jumped ship. It wasn't until the film landed at Miramax that Paltrow took the lead, director John Madden took the helm due to Zwick's busy schedule, and the Shakespeare gap was filled by English actor Joseph Fiennes. If you're having a hard time picturing the all-American Roberts and superserious Day-Lewis in the film, you're not alone. "It would be different, even with the same words, the same script," says Norman. "Although how different, who knows?"

You Might Also Like

• Movie Review Shakespeare in Love (1998) | Owen Gleiberman
• Video Review Shakespeare in Love; To Be or Not to Be | Lisa Schwarzbaum
• Video Review Shakespeare in Love
• Movie Review Shakespeare in Love (1998) | Owen Gleiberman
• All About Shakespeare in Love
• Cover Story Shakespeare in Love