Friday Night Lights passed on this running man.
Glen Powell shared that he tried out for several roles on the football show, including the part of Tim Riggins, which ultimately went to Taylor Kitsch.
Taylor Kitsch really nailed his performance,” the actor from Texas, known for his role in *Top Gun: Maverick*, said on the September 24th episode of Jake Shaneâs *Therapuss* podcast. He described it as “iconic.”
Glen, who is 36, shared that he was a teenager when he tried out for the show, unlike Taylor, 44, and the other actors.
He recalled the actors playing high school students were around 25 years old and looked convincingly young. He then joked about his own high school experience, saying he didnât resemble a typical cool football player back then.
Other Friday Night Lights roles that Glen tried out for?
I tried out for the role of two different quarterbacks, including J.D. McCoy, and another one I canât quite remember. It was for the part that eventually went to Jeremy Sumpter, who was known for playing Peter Pan. I realized I might actually be able to pull it off, but unfortunately, I failed both auditions.
Glen likened the situation to an “out-of-body experience.”
The actor from *Anyone But You* explained that acting requires a certain level of calm. Itâs a strange job, they said, because youâre performing in front of a lot of people, but it also needs to feel very personal and private. They admitted to being overly aware of wanting the role, which made them focus too much on everyone around them and everything that was happening, preventing them from fully relaxing into the performance.
Although Glen didn’t become a star on *Friday Night Lights*, he found another rewarding way to be involved – as a dedicated superfan.
He said he watched the whole thing and really loved it, calling it a brilliant show and one of the best heâd ever seen.
Glen wasn’t the only one hoping to land that fantastic TV part. Here’s a look at other actors who almost got similar roles…
The Star Trek actor lost out on the role, which ultimately went to Ben McKenzie, due to his bad acne.
He shared on Josh Horowitz’s podcast, *Happy Sad Confused*, that he struggled with bad skin both during his teenage years and again after finishing college.
Looking back, turning down that role is honestly one of my biggest career regrets. I shared this a while ago, and it really came down to where I was at the time. I was questioning if I wanted to jump into television, and I wasn’t sure I was ready for that commitment. It sounds a little silly now, but thatâs where my head was at back then – I was just trying to figure out my next move.
Casting director David Rapaport revealed to EW that he initially wanted Alden Ehrenreich for the role of Dan, but producers felt Ehrenreich, who is 5’9″, wasn’t tall enough to be Blake Lively’s love interest. Ultimately, the role went to Penn Badgley, who is roughly the same height as Ehrenreich, according to online sources.
In his 2014 memoir and again on Marc Maronâs podcast, actor Rob Lowe shared that he declined the role that eventually went to Patrick Dempsey on *Grey’s Anatomy*. He jokingly estimated the decision may have cost him around $70 million, but added, âItâs just money.â Lowe explained that he saw the pilot episode and when the character was nicknamed ‘McDreamy,’ he realized the part wasnât a good fit for him.
Benedict Cumberbatch, known for his roles in *Sherlock* and as Doctor Strange, once tried out for the part of vampire Bill Compton. Ultimately, the role went to Stephen Moyer.
Before becoming an Oscar nominee, Jessica Chastain auditioned for the role of Sookie Stackhouse, but Anna Paquin ultimately landed the part.
When she was 17, Jennifer Lawrence auditioned for the role of Crystal Norris, a werepanther, and was a strong contender. However, because of her age, the role ultimately went to Lindsay Pulsipher.
Tiffani Thiessen, known for her roles in *Saved By the Bell* and *Beverly Hills, 90210*, revealed she tried out for the part of Rachel on *Friends*. However, producers felt she was too young for the role.
Katherine Langford, known for her role in *13 Reasons Why*, actually auditioned for the part of Betty Cooper on *Riverdale*. Camila Mendes, who plays Veronica on the show, shared this surprising detail, mentioning they all went for falafel with an actor who was trying out for the role of Archie.
Most people can’t picture anyone but Jennifer Love Hewitt as Jen Lindley, but the show’s creator, Kevin Williamson, recently shared with Entertainment Weekly that Katherine Heigl was a strong contender for the part. Steve Miner, who directed the pilot episode, suggested Heigl – whom heâd worked with in his 1994 film, *My Father the Hero*. Williamson remembers Heigl appearing more mature for her age and giving a very impressive audition. âWe were all really blown away by how good she was,â he said.
Oh my gosh, can you believe Katie Holmes *almost* didn’t play Joey on Dawson’s Creek?! I was researching everything about the show, and Kevin Williamson – the creator! – said it was originally Selma Blair who was supposed to get the part. He seriously loved her! But then⊠then he got this audition tape. Apparently, Katie Holmes sent it from her basement in Toledo, Ohio, and he said it completely changed his mind! It’s just⊠incredible to think how different things could have been. That tape saved Katie’s career, and honestly, saved the show for me! Iâve watched it a million times trying to figure out *what* was so special about it!
Actress Lori Edelstein came very close to being cast as Carrie Bradshaw in *Sex and the City*. She even had a signed contract, but she was essentially the second choice behind Sarah Jessica Parker. According to Edelstein, the role was hers if Parker turned it down, and she was on standby waiting to hear. Itâs hard to picture anyone *but* Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie, but Edelsteinâs story makes sense – she was fully prepared to step in if needed.
Originally, The CW network envisioned Ashley Olsen playing the lead role of the stylish blonde in the Upper East Side, according to casting director David Rapaport. However, Rapaport was determined to cast Blake Lively. He told Buzzfeed he was worried they wouldn’t be able to get her, or that she wouldn’t be a good fit, because he believed the showâs success depended entirely on her, and he didnât have a backup plan.
The CW initially considered Rumer Willis, who would later win *Dancing With the Stars*, for the lead role in *Gossip Girl*. However, casting director Rapaport felt she wasn’t the right fit and eventually cast her on *90210* instead. He told Buzzfeed that he liked Rumer, and admired her growth as an actress and person, but he believed the show needed relatively unknown actresses who truly embodied the spirit of the series and could sustain it for six seasons.
Before Keke Palmer joined the cast of Foxâs comedy-horror series *Scream Queens*, she was a contender for the role of Iris West on *The Flash*. Ultimately, Candice Patton landed the part. Casting director David Rapaport explained to Buzzfeed that while they liked Candice from the start, they werenât ready to make a decision yet. They tested both Keke Palmer and another actress, but both seemed too young alongside Grant Gustin. When they brought Candice back for another audition, Rapaport said it was a perfect fit.
Iwan Rheon recently shared with The Telegraph that he was a finalist for the role of Jon Snow during the initial casting of Game of Thrones. Ultimately, Rheon ended up playing Ramsay Snow – a character many viewers came to despise – while Kit Harington became beloved as Jon Snow. It’s hard to picture things any other way!
Josh Schwartz, who worked with Chris Pratt on the last season of *The O.C.*, shared that Pratt was originally his top pick for the role of ‘Chuck,’ but it ultimately went to Zachary Levi. Schwartz explained, “He was meant to be guarding the galaxy, not working at the Buy More!” He added that Pratt is a genuinely kind person.
Oh my god, you guys, Katie Holmes actually *met* with Jenji Kohan when *Orange Is the New Black* was just starting! Jenji said Katie’s a fan – can you believe it?! – but Katie was, like, super busy with stuff at the time. Jenji also said nobody even knew if the show would *be* anything back then! It’s amazing to think she met with them so early, even before it blew up! I’m seriously freaking out!
Cobie Smulders revealed that she originally auditioned for the role of Kate Austen on *Lost* but ultimately became known for playing Robin Scherbatsky on *How I Met Your Mother*. This means two popular TV shows could have had very different casts!
Cobie Smulders shared in a 2014 interview with TopMob News that both she and Evangeline Lilly auditioned for the show *Lost*. Smulders jokingly said she did so poorly in her audition that it actually helped Lilly land the role, with Lilly expressing her gratitude afterwards.
While most people think of *The Good Wife* as Julianna Marguliesâ breakout role, she wasnât the first choice for the part. The Emmy-winning actress recently shared that the studio initially considered Ashley Judd and Helen Hunt for the lead role before offering it to her.
It’s difficult to picture anyone other than Sarah Michelle Gellar as the vampire slayer in Sunnydale, but Katie Holmes was originally offered the part on the WB series. She chose to focus on attending high school instead, which led to Gellar being cast in the role.
Edie Falco ultimately landed the role, but Lorraine Bracco was first offered it. Bracco declined, explaining sheâd already played a similar character in *Goodfellas* and was looking for a fresh challenge.
Oh my gosh, can you believe Taraji P. Henson auditioned for Olivia Pope on *Scandal*?! I just found out, and it’s blowing my mind! She said when she went in to read for Shonda Rhimes, she totally thought, ‘Wait, this is Kerry Washington’s role! What am I even doing here?’ She just *knew* it was meant for Kerry, and honestly, she was right! It’s like, can you imagine a different Olivia Pope? Nope! Kerry *is* Olivia, and Taraji totally saw that even back then. I’m obsessed!
Believe it or not, Gillian Anderson – known for playing Agent Scully in *The X-Files* – was offered a part in *Downton Abbey*! She ultimately decided not to take it, and the role went to Elizabeth McGovern instead.
 
Although Nina Dobrev wasn’t the first actress considered for the role of Elena Gilbert on The CW’s popular show, the producers were ultimately won over by her audition. They initially considered other options, but after revisiting Dobrev’s tape, they knew she was the right fit for the part.
The famous singer was offered the main part in a show starring Bill Cosby, but she decided to focus on her music instead.
As a huge fan of *Sex and the City*, it’s wild to think things could have been so different! Apparently, Dana Delany was actually offered the role of Carrie Bradshaw. She turned it down, though, and the reason is fascinating. She’d already starred in a few projects with mature themes – things like *Nude Girls* and *Exit to Eden* – and didn’t want to do another show that prominently featured “sex” in the title. It just goes to show how much a single decision can change everything! I can’t imagine anyone *but* Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie now.
Jerry Seinfeld offered Paul Shaffer, David Lettermanâs longtime bandleader, a job on his show without even asking for an audition. However, Shaffer never responded to the offer.
AMC initially wanted Jane to play Don Draper, but Jon Hamm revealed in a podcast that she turned down the role because she didn’t want to be a regular on television. Ironically, he later became the star of HBO’s *Hung*.
The man named ‘Sexiest Man Alive’ in 2010 was once considered for a role on Joss Whedonâs show, but he turned it down – the part of Xander. He told The Toronto Star in 2008 that he was a fan of both the show and Whedon, but he didnât want to play a high school student.
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2025-09-25 23:21