Remember when Garth Brooks turned down a role in ‘Twister’?

Garth Brooks has had one of the most successful careers of any country star in history, and his onstage chemistry translates to the screen: just look at his unforgettable hosting gig on Saturday Night Live and his role in the mid-1990s sitcom Empty nest.

But the singer’s budding acting career never resulted in big-budget films, although he was offered a few roles.

In 2013, Brooks’ former producing partner Lisa Sanderson filed a lawsuit against him, claiming that Brooks’ ego was getting in the way of his acting ambitions.

Anderson’s 2013 lawsuit sued Brooks for $425,000 in a Los Angeles court, alleging that he had financially harmed her by repeatedly turning down offers for work or making excessive demands of studios. One of the offers he turned down was a role in the 1996 film Whirlwind.

According to IndiewireBrooks declined Vortex because the star of the movie was the tornado — not him — and he didn’t want to share the spotlight. He reportedly had a similar reason for taking a role in Saving Private Ryan: Namely, that he didn’t want to compete with Matt Demon and Tom Hanks for screen time.

Sanderson’s lawsuit came in response to a lawsuit filed against her by Red Strokes, the production company she and Brooks ran together. That company closed its business in 2011 and subsequently sued her in an attempt to recoup nearly $225,000 in loans the company had made to her.

Sanderson argued that the gifts were not loans, but the court ruled in Brooks’ favor and awarded him $226,000 in early 2014.

What were other country stars involved in? Vortex and the sequel from 2024, Whirlwinds?

• The original Vortex asked Shania Twain and Alison Krauss to write songs for the star-studded soundtrack.
• In a sequel, the 2024 film Whirlwindsthe soundtrack is filled with country stars.
• Luke Combs, Megan Moroney, Thomas Rhett and Miranda Lambert are just some of the stars who contributed songs to the project.

The original 1996 film starred Helen Hunt, Bill Paxton, and Carey Elwes. According to IMDB, the film follows a group of storm chasers who work to “create an advanced weather system” that puts them in the path of “extremely violent tornadoes.”

Carena Liptak is an Associate Editor and staff writer at Taste of Country. She specializes in country music news, interviews, and lists. She has a particular soft spot for sad songs — check out her roundup of the 50 saddest country songs of all time!