The screentest is the last hurdle an actor has to jump over before being given the role that could change his or her life forever. A nobody can instantly become a somebody, or an actor can just continue the struggle of looking for work. For many of the talented actors on this list of those who missed out, it was only a matter of time before the big role came along. For others, however, the story is not as kind, and these screentests probably keep them from sleeping most nights.
It is strange to think how incredibly different some films would have been if a different actor had won the role…
5. Tom Selleck – Raiders of the Lost Ark
This one doesn’t have as happy of an ending. Tom Selleck’s screentest to be Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark was so good that he was offered the role of the man who would become film history’s most famous archaeologist. Tom Selleck was Indiana Jones! Perhaps even sadder than missing out on the role because simply someone else was cast instead of you, Tom Selleck missed out on the role because he decided to become Magnum P.I. instead.
Magnum P.I. certainly was a huge hit for Tom Selleck, as the TV show ran for eight seasons and over 150 episodes, so you can’t say that it was a career ending mistake, but it did turn out that Tom Selleck really didn’t have to choose one over the other.
As if some great cosmic joke, Selleck’s schedule opened up when there was a six month writer’s strike in Hollywood that delayed the filming of Magnum P.I. During those six months, Harrison Ford had stepped in, the movie had been filmed, and a billion dollar francise was born.
4. Dan Fogler – Sam Kinison Biopic
Even with a Tony Award for his work in The 25th Annual Putnum County Spelling Bee and many roles in film and television, Dan Fogler isn’t an actor many people know by name. Clearly a talented comedian, Dan has yet to have a breakthrough film role. Playing someone as revered as Sam Kinison certainly could be the role that changes that. Talk of this biopic has been around since 2008, so it is probably safe to say this movie will never happen; at least not with this director, this script, and most likely, this actor.
Besides possessing a strikingly similar look, Dan perfectly emulates Kinison’s “ticking timebomb” delivery. Without taking the easy route of just simply doing an impression, in this screentest, Fogler seems like a fully formed human being. Kinison said that he took a lot of his delivery from Gene Wilder, but brought it to a new level. There is something beautiful about an actor, on the fringe of Hollywood stardom, taking Sam Kinison’s delivery (and legacy) to a new level.
Unfortunately for Dan Fogler, even a very impressive screentest doesn’t always mean you get the part… or that the movie will even get made at all.
3. Scarlett Johannson – Jumanji
Scarlett Johannson was once a child actor, years before becoming one of the most dreamed about women alive. Though this seems more like an initial audition than a screentest, I find it hard to believe this footage would still be around unless she was being seriously considered. Scarlett seems like a very focused and mature child, who actually appears to be having a conversation. This girl really means business and looks like she is working. She also is very cute.
I wonder how much of the film had been explained to Scarlett before being put on camera because Jumanji was a very scary movie for me to understand at that age and being stuck in a horrifying jungle for over 25 years still scares me. Scarlett may just have been too brave to get the role of a terrified child, as she did not get the part. The role of “Judy” instead went to a young actress named Kirsten Dunst.
2. Kurt Russell – Star Wars
Oh, yes. Another one of Harrison Ford’s billion dollar francise characters almost went to another action star. Before Big Trouble in Little China and escaping from both New York and L.A., Kurt Russell had a screentest for the role of “Han Solo”. There is a lot of footage of his screentest and there is no doubt Kurt Russell could have played Han Solo well. His attitude, voice, and look all seem to fit, even with these strange actors he is forced to screentest with. The biggest issues with Kurt’s screentest are Luke and Leia, who seem to be more likely be from New York than Polis Massa.
Kurt Russell also has the lines down and seems to understand what he’s talking about, even though I doubt no one could fathom the scope of Star Wars or what George Lucas was envisioning. Harrison Ford did however get the role, of course, and it would take a few more years for Kurt Russell to become a big star. Strangely enough, Kurt Russell did get a role the same year that the first Star Wars film came out, but it was on an episode of Hawaii Five-O… what is it about Harrison Ford and taking roles away from men in Hawaii?
1. Chris Klein – Mamma Mia!
Last, but not least, possibly the most entertaining screentest in the history of film. Before launching into his crazy-eyed rendition of ABBA’s “Lay All Your Love On Me”, Chris Klein makes the room very uncomfortable with his admission of his secret love for Mandy Moore and admitting that his singing is better than he has let on in his previous films.
As we soon get to see, his singing is still not good. The poor guy is singing octaves both below and above where he should, his voice cracks, he can’t remember the words, and then is met with complete silence upon finishing.
This screentest is certainly cringeworthy, but Chris Klein at least gives it everything he’s got. There is a fearless quality to this truly horrible audition and for that, I think Chris Klein deserved at least some role in the film version of Mamma Mia!
Source.
It is strange to think how incredibly different some films would have been if a different actor had won the role…
5. Tom Selleck – Raiders of the Lost Ark
This one doesn’t have as happy of an ending. Tom Selleck’s screentest to be Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark was so good that he was offered the role of the man who would become film history’s most famous archaeologist. Tom Selleck was Indiana Jones! Perhaps even sadder than missing out on the role because simply someone else was cast instead of you, Tom Selleck missed out on the role because he decided to become Magnum P.I. instead.
Magnum P.I. certainly was a huge hit for Tom Selleck, as the TV show ran for eight seasons and over 150 episodes, so you can’t say that it was a career ending mistake, but it did turn out that Tom Selleck really didn’t have to choose one over the other.
As if some great cosmic joke, Selleck’s schedule opened up when there was a six month writer’s strike in Hollywood that delayed the filming of Magnum P.I. During those six months, Harrison Ford had stepped in, the movie had been filmed, and a billion dollar francise was born.
4. Dan Fogler – Sam Kinison Biopic
Even with a Tony Award for his work in The 25th Annual Putnum County Spelling Bee and many roles in film and television, Dan Fogler isn’t an actor many people know by name. Clearly a talented comedian, Dan has yet to have a breakthrough film role. Playing someone as revered as Sam Kinison certainly could be the role that changes that. Talk of this biopic has been around since 2008, so it is probably safe to say this movie will never happen; at least not with this director, this script, and most likely, this actor.
Besides possessing a strikingly similar look, Dan perfectly emulates Kinison’s “ticking timebomb” delivery. Without taking the easy route of just simply doing an impression, in this screentest, Fogler seems like a fully formed human being. Kinison said that he took a lot of his delivery from Gene Wilder, but brought it to a new level. There is something beautiful about an actor, on the fringe of Hollywood stardom, taking Sam Kinison’s delivery (and legacy) to a new level.
Unfortunately for Dan Fogler, even a very impressive screentest doesn’t always mean you get the part… or that the movie will even get made at all.
3. Scarlett Johannson – Jumanji
Scarlett Johannson was once a child actor, years before becoming one of the most dreamed about women alive. Though this seems more like an initial audition than a screentest, I find it hard to believe this footage would still be around unless she was being seriously considered. Scarlett seems like a very focused and mature child, who actually appears to be having a conversation. This girl really means business and looks like she is working. She also is very cute.
I wonder how much of the film had been explained to Scarlett before being put on camera because Jumanji was a very scary movie for me to understand at that age and being stuck in a horrifying jungle for over 25 years still scares me. Scarlett may just have been too brave to get the role of a terrified child, as she did not get the part. The role of “Judy” instead went to a young actress named Kirsten Dunst.
2. Kurt Russell – Star Wars
Oh, yes. Another one of Harrison Ford’s billion dollar francise characters almost went to another action star. Before Big Trouble in Little China and escaping from both New York and L.A., Kurt Russell had a screentest for the role of “Han Solo”. There is a lot of footage of his screentest and there is no doubt Kurt Russell could have played Han Solo well. His attitude, voice, and look all seem to fit, even with these strange actors he is forced to screentest with. The biggest issues with Kurt’s screentest are Luke and Leia, who seem to be more likely be from New York than Polis Massa.
Kurt Russell also has the lines down and seems to understand what he’s talking about, even though I doubt no one could fathom the scope of Star Wars or what George Lucas was envisioning. Harrison Ford did however get the role, of course, and it would take a few more years for Kurt Russell to become a big star. Strangely enough, Kurt Russell did get a role the same year that the first Star Wars film came out, but it was on an episode of Hawaii Five-O… what is it about Harrison Ford and taking roles away from men in Hawaii?
1. Chris Klein – Mamma Mia!
Last, but not least, possibly the most entertaining screentest in the history of film. Before launching into his crazy-eyed rendition of ABBA’s “Lay All Your Love On Me”, Chris Klein makes the room very uncomfortable with his admission of his secret love for Mandy Moore and admitting that his singing is better than he has let on in his previous films.
As we soon get to see, his singing is still not good. The poor guy is singing octaves both below and above where he should, his voice cracks, he can’t remember the words, and then is met with complete silence upon finishing.
This screentest is certainly cringeworthy, but Chris Klein at least gives it everything he’s got. There is a fearless quality to this truly horrible audition and for that, I think Chris Klein deserved at least some role in the film version of Mamma Mia!
Source.