Corey Feldman Claims Johnny Depp Got Him Fired From “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape”: 'He Said I Was a Junkie'

Corey Feldman says that Johnny Depp cost him a role in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape.

On the most recent episode of Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan’s The Magnificent Others podcast, the Goonies star claimed that he was originally cast as Arnie Grape, a teen with developmental disabilities, in the 1993 film before Depp came on board.

“I was actually cast to play Leonardo DiCaprio's role,” Feldman said, referring to the Killers of the Flower Moon star, who earned a 1994 Academy Award nomination for his performance in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape.

According to Feldman, Depp was cast in the film’s title role after he was offered the part of Arnie. But, the Pirates of the Caribbean star “apparently whispered into the producer's ear that he wasn't fond of me," Feldman said.

“He said I was a junkie and that he didn't work with junkies,” Feldman, 53, claimed, adding that “this is the first time I remember ever telling this story, so I'm sure I'm gonna get hung by this one.”

In his 2013 memoir Coreyography, Feldman detailed his early exposure to drugs and alcohol, which he said he used to cope with the trauma of childhood abuse. He ultimately entered rehab in December 1990 at 19 years old.

By the time he was offered the Gilbert Grape role, Feldman told Corgan, “I was sober. I'd just gotten sober.”

“I'd just gotten out of rehab. I turned my life around,” he said. “And in fact, was trying to help River [Phoenix] at the time.”

Feldman said that his Stand by Me costar “was running with” Depp at the time, and noted that Phoenix’s October 1993 death from a drug overdose occurred outside West Hollywood nightclub The Viper Room, which was co-owned at the time by Depp. (Depp was not present on the night of Phoenix’s death.)

“So, as you can imagine, there was a bit of a thorn in the side on that one,” Feldman told Corgan.

Feldman said he was “bitter” over allegedly losing the Gilbert Grape role.

“Had I not been pushed out and done that role, who knows what would have happened from the point forward,” he said. “That gave Leonardo his first [Oscar] nomination.”

PEOPLE reached out to reps for Depp and What's Eating Gilbert Grape director Lasse Hallström for comment.

Arnie wasn’t the only part Feldman lost to DiCaprio, according to the Lost Boys star. He claimed he was also in the running for the role of Jack in Titanic.

“But that was okay because that one I wasn't as close,” he told Corgan. “I read for it. I know that I was in the contention somewhere.”

Feldman also claimed he “got pretty close” to being cast as Samwise Gamgee in The Lord of the Rings films, a role that ultimately went to his Goonies costar Sean Astin.

“Although, I couldn't have gained the weight [for the role],” he said. “So, I'll give him that. He did a great job aesthetically. Because to add that weight, it’s something I cannot physically do.”

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