Which actor was originally cast as Vincent Vega in Pulp Fiction before dropping out?

Michael Madsen was originally cast as Vincent Vega in Pulp Fiction before dropping out. He chose to appear in Kevin Costner's Wyatt Earp instead, a decision he later said he regretted.

Madsen had already worked with Tarantino in Reservoir Dogs, playing Vic Vega, also known as Mr. Blonde. Tarantino conceived Vincent as Vic's brother, which created the possibility of a shared Vega family across the two films. When Madsen left the project, John Travolta took the role and delivered the performance that revitalized his career.

Travolta accepted a comparatively modest salary for the part, and Pulp Fiction later earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. The casting change became one of the film's most famous behind-the-scenes stories because Vincent's relaxed menace and dance-floor scene became central to its identity.

Tarantino later discussed making a Vega Brothers film starring Madsen and Travolta. The idea was never completed, so the brothers remain linked mainly through their names, backstory, and the two actors' performances in Tarantino's films.