 The part of Louis XV was first offered to Alain Delon (qv).  Allegedly, the aging French star was incensed that an American would  dare do something so uncouth as make a film over an episode of  French history, and when he met with Sofia Coppola (qv), he  brought the American director a huge bouquet of flowers and  basically told her (in so many words) that he would never stoop to  working with an American on such a movie.