Uncover All The Stars Who Auditioned For Big Movies But Didn’t Get The Roles
Can everyone please take a moment to imagine how different Twilight would have been if Jamie Lynn Spears played Bella
Lillie Gissen
Can everyone please take a moment to imagine how different Twilight would have been if Jamie Lynn Spears played Bella Sawn instead of Kristen Stewart? Well, that was almost the case! Yep, the Zoey 101 star just revealed that she auditioned for the role in 2016, and we’re seriously shook over the news.
The former Nickelodeon actress explained that she did not want to star in the movie at all, but that her managers forced her to go and try out for the role anyway.
“They had to force me. Force me,” she recalled. “I remember just thinking like, ‘Y’all are insane. I’m not playing a vampire. That is so stupid. Why would I do that?’ But I went and read for that role. I remember sitting in this little room, and I think Lily Collins was there, and I felt so sick. Little did I know, I was pregnant.”
It turns out, she’s not the only big star to try out for one of our favorite movies. From Selena Gomez to Harry Styles to Jennifer Lawrence, here’s some more celebrities who auditioned for some big roles in the past, but either got turned down in the end or decided not to take the role…
Emma Watson And Miles Teller Almost Starred In ‘La La Land’
As fans know, Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling ended up starring in La La Land, but at first, Emma Watson and Miles Teller were supposed to fill the roles. So what happened? Well, the actress later explained that the timing just didn’t work out, since she was prepping for her role in Beauty and the Beast at the same time.
“It’s one of these frustrating things where names get attached to projects very early on as a way to kind of build anticipation or excitement for something that’s coming before anything is really actually agreed or set in stone,” she said. “[Beauty and the Beast] wasn’t a movie I could just sort of step into. I knew I had horse training, I knew I had dancing, I knew I had three months of singing ahead of me and I knew I had to be in London to really do that. This wasn’t a movie I could just kind of parachute into. I knew I had to do the work, and I had to be where I had to be. So, you know, scheduling conflict-wise, it just didn’t work out.”
Naya Rivera Auditioned For ‘Cheetah Girls’ And ‘High School Musical’
Before landing her role as Santana Lopez in Glee, Naya Rivera auditioned for High School Musical and Cheetah Girls. Wow, who knew?!
Matthew Underwood Also Tried Out For A Role In ‘High School Musical’
Get this — Zoey 101 actor Matthew Underwood was almost cast as Troy Bolton in HSM. Sterling Knight also tried out for the role. In the end, however, the part went to Zac Efron.
Plus, Cassie Steele, who fans may recognize from Degrassi, was almost picked to play Gabriella Montez in the Disney flick! But instead, the network went with Vanessa Hudgens.
Shailene Woodley Turned Down A Role In ‘Carrie’
According to Vulture, Shailene Woodley turned down a role for the title character in the Carrie remake. They also reported that Dakota Fanning, Haley Bennett and Lily Collins all read for the role, but it ultimately went to Chloë Grace Moretz.
Zac Efron Pulled Out Of ‘Footloose’ Last Minute
Fans were shocked when Paramound announced that Efron was going to star in the 2011 Footloose remake, but pulled out last minute.
“Footloose is a project we’ve longed to see re-booted for a new generation. While Zac is no longer attached, we remain excited and committed to the collective brain trust of Kenny Ortega, Neil Meron and Craig Zaden, who will reinvigorate the franchise. Their fresh take on the film will undoubtedly be filled with the same kind of breakout performances that we’ve come to expect from them,” they said in a statement at the time.
As fans know, Kenny Wormald went on to star in the movie.
Taylor Lautner Was Considered For ‘Camp Rock’
Twilight actor Taylor Lautner almost played Shane Gray in Camp Rock, instead of Joe Jonas! Plus, Selena Gomez was offered the role as Mitchie Torres before Demi Lovato was ultimately cast, but she decided not to star in the flick. Disney Channel’s president of entertainment Gary Marsh explained, “She wasn’t ready to explore that part of her talent yet. She wanted to build her acting base first.”
Selena Gomez Also Almost Starred In ‘High School Musical 3’
She was also offered a role in the third HSM movie, but turned it down in the end.
“I passed on it because I didn’t want to do it. I plan to take other roles in acting that are challenging for me. After Disney, I want to be taken seriously as an actress for many years,” the actress explained.
Jennifer Lawrence Auditioned For ‘Twilight’
Jennifer Lawrence explained that when she didn’t get the part in Twilight, she was “devastated.”
“I remember when the movie first came out, seeing Kristen Stewart on the red carpet and getting papped wherever she went,” the actress recalled. “I had no idea Twilight would be such a big deal. For me, and assuming for her, it was just another audition. Then it turned into this whole other thing.”
She Also Tried Out For ‘Easy A’
Lawrence revealed in November 2017 that she also auditioned for the movie Easy A. She told Hollywood Reporterthat she “wanted [the role] so bad.”
Lucy Hale Did Not Enjoy Her ’50 Shades of Grey’ Audition
Lucy Hale tried out for the role of Ana Steele, but was super uncomfortable during the audition.
“That audition was so uncomfortable! It’s exactly what you thought it would be: a big monologue but very, very sexual. There were some things that I was so embarrassed to be reading out loud, but it’s one of those things where you have to commit wholeheartedly or you’re going to make a fool of yourself,” she dished during a previous interview with Cosmopolitan.
Emma Roberts Was Supposed To Star In ‘Spring Breakers’
Instead of Ashley Benson, Emma Roberts was supposed to star in Spring Breakers alongside Selena Gomez and Vanessa Hudgens. But according to Just Jared, she pulled out due to “creative differences that couldn’t be resolved.”
Beyoncé And Ryan Gosling Were Being Eyed For The Live-Action ‘Beauty And The Beast’ Remake
Director Bill Condon revealed that he wanted Beyoncé to star in the Beauty and the Beast remake, but she turned down the role. He explained, “I tried to get her into Beauty and the Beast, but it wasn’t a big enough part. She would have been a good feather duster.”
It was also reported that Gosling was being eyed to play the Beast, but he ultimately didn’t get the part.
Harry Styles Almost Played The Prince In ‘The Little Mermaid’
When news hit the web that Harry Styles was going to star as the Prince in the upcoming live-action Little Mermaid remake, we were all pretty excited. But it turns out, he turned down the role to focus on his music instead.
Liam Payne Auditioned For The Upcoming ‘West Side Story’ Movie
“Well I did… the first thing I ever auditioned for was for the remake of West Side Story which is being done by Steven Spielberg,” the One Direction star recalled to Capital FM. “On my last birthday, I got a message saying, ‘You need to go and meet Steven Spielberg on Thursday.’ So I had to go and do an audition in front of him, which was quite wild.”
He continued, “It was a bit of a cold room I’m not going to lie. It was like all curtained off in like a big warehouse type thing and he just kind of rolled in and was like, ‘Liam!’ and I was like, ‘This is wild.’ Like this is the craziest thing I’ve ever done in my life. But he was super nice. No, I didn’t get it but I was in like the last five people for it which I was quite happy with because it was a difficult – it was a big part in the film. And it was the first audition I had ever done and I put four tapes in and then managed to get to meet Steven Spielberg so it was pretty amazing.”
Matthew McConaughey Almost Starred In ‘Titanic’
By now, it’s hard to imagine Jack Dawson from Titanic as anyone but Leonardo DiCaprio, but it turns out, Matthew McConaughey almost got the role instead!
“It was one of those auditions where I left and thought I had it,” he once said. “I really enjoyed it. Kate Winslet really enjoyed it. That was a huge opportunity. But [James] Cameron liked Leonardo DiCaprio better.”
We Almost Saw Ben Affleck In ‘Clueless’
Vanity Fair reported that Ben Affleck was almost cast in the movie Clueless, instead of Paul Rudd. Casting director Carrie Frazier told them, “I thought [Affleck] would be fabulous for it.”
Eddie Redmayne Almost Played Kylo Ren In ‘Star Wars’
The Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them actor revealed that he tried out for the role of Kylo Ren in Star Wars, but didn’t do too well in the audition.
“I was trying again and again with different versions of my kind of ‘koohh paaaah’ [Darth Vader breathing sound] voice. And after like 10 shots [casting director Nina Gold] was like, ‘You got anything else?’ I was like, ‘No,’” he said.