 First choice for the leads were Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts,  followed by Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon. Eventually MGM had their  dream casting in place: Johnny Depp, Woody Harrelson and Laura Dern.  Harrelsons contract would have given him top billing. When Dern (a  recent Oscar nominee) found out that she would be third billed, she  quit the picture. Harrelson followed soon after, having landed the  young male lead in "Indecent Proposal". MGM promptly slapped him  with a $5 million lawsuit for breach of contract (which was  ultimately settled out of court).