updated: 05/03/2004
In 1959 Joan Collins very nearly became Cleopatra but the epic was delayed and when it was made a few years later it was with Elizabeth Taylor in the title role: the rest is history. Personally I think Joan Collins could have made a better job of it, though the movie would have lost all the publicity of the Burton–Taylor romance.
If anyone knows the makeup credits for this screen test please email me.