TIL NBC offered a role to James Gandolfini to replace Michael Scott on "The Office", but HBO paid him $3 million to not take the role

https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/james-gandolfini-rejected-the-office-hbo-1234651311/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/151g43p/til_nbc_offered_a_role_to_james_gandolfini_to/