Brooke Shields was originally set to play the lead role in the movie A League of Their Own.  Shields was written out (something to do with a writers strike) and was replaced by Debra Winger.  Madonna was cast a few days before filming was to begin.  Winger, complaining of “stunt casting,” backed out, and the part went to Geena Davis.

As it turns out, Winger was right to complain.  Madonna was “miserable” on the set.  She wrote to her friend, “I cannot suffer any more than I have in the past month, learning how to play baseball with a bunch of girls (yuk) in Chicago (double yuk). I have a tan, I’m dirty all day, and I hardly ever wear make up. Penny Marshall, Lavern (sic), Geena Davis is a Barbie Doll, and when God decided where the beautiful men were going to live in the world, he did not choose Chicago. I have made a few friends but they are athletes, not actresses. They have nothing on the house of extravaganza. I wish I could come to N.Y.”

Even with Madonna and without Winger, movie went on to be a success.  Funny thing, this isn’t the first time Debra Winger turned down roles and the movie was successful.  It wasn’t even the first time Winger turned down a role relating to Shields or Davis!

Per IMDB:

She [Winger] became notorious for turning down worthy roles in many popular films, such as Jodie Foster’s roles in Taxi Driver (1976), The Accused (1988) and The Silence of the Lambs (1991), Brooke Shields’ roles in Pretty Baby (1978) and The Blue Lagoon (1980), Daryl Hannah’s role in Splash (1984), Linda Hamilton’s role in The Terminator (1984), Kathleen Turner’s role in Peggy Sue Got Married (1986), Susan Sarandon’s role in Bull Durham (1988), Michelle Pfeiffer’s role in The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989), Jessica Lange’s role in Music Box (1989), Julia Roberts’ role in Pretty Woman (1990), Demi Moore’s role in Ghost (1990), Geena Davis’ roles in Thelma & Louise (1991) A League of Their Own (1992), Sharon Stone’s role in Basic Instinct (1992), Meg Ryan’s  role in Sleepless in Seattle (1993), Sandra Bullock’s role in Speed (1994/I) and Nicole Kidman’s role in To Die For (1995).

Lastly, there was a League of Their Own TV show.  They got a whopping 4 people to reprise their role in the film.  The show was, “quickly canceled.”

Sources:  Here, here, and here