Jessica Biel’s Blood-Covered Audition for The Notebook with Ryan Gosling Revealed!

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Jessica Biel was not in heaven during her audition for The Notebook.

43-year-old actress Jessica shared that her audition for the 2004 film with Ryan Gosling and director Nick Cassavettes took place when they came to see her, which happened to be on the set of her 2003 horror movie “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.” This meant that during her major opportunity, Jessica was already drenched in blood.

During her interview on The View on May 21 (as reported by People), she recounted, “In my mind, I vividly remember having blood on me and wearing that white tank top.” This was during her audition for the lead character Allie. As she removed her cowboy hat, she expressed, “Alright, let’s fall in love through this role. Let’s give it a try.

She remarked about the audition held within her trailer, “It felt quite unusual, a truly Hollywood experience.

Ultimately, Rachel McAdams landed the role, and this wasn’t the first time Jessica had expressed regret about missing out on a role she felt should have been hers.

She shared with Elle in 2011 that she had desperately wanted it. At that time, she was engrossed in filming Texas Chainsaw Massacre and auditioned with Ryan Gosling in her blood-soaked trailer. Director Nick Cassavetes tested her extensively in a challenging yet creative manner. However, many opportunities slip away. We’re always eager for more, enduring the pain of rejection.

It turns out that Jessica isn’t the sole well-known figure yearning for a part in both the film and the timeless tale of The Notebook.

During a 2021 interview with TopMob News, the film’s casting director, Matthew Barry, mentioned that Britney Spears, Reese Witherspoon, and Kate Beckinsale were among several potential candidates for the role.

Yet, among all of them, one particular comment caught Matthew’s attention. He mentioned that the artist who was in a relationship with Justin Timberlake, whom Jessica’s husband dated from 1999 to 2002, was exceptional, using the term “phenomenal”.

In an interview with Daily Mail in 2023, he expressed that Britney wasn’t just exceptionally talented; she was nothing short of extraordinary. To support his statement, he also shared a rare audition tape of hers from more than two decades back.

> It was quite a challenging choice, but Britney really impressed everyone. I was left speechless, and so were others. He went on to say, “I was astounded. Totally astounded. That day, she gave it her all, her best performance.

For more stars who were almost cast in The Notebook, read on…

Prior to the involvement of casting director Matthew Barry and his team in the movie, the actress from Legally Blonde had been contemplating taking on the role of Allie. However, she eventually recognized that she was no longer suitable for the part due to her advanced age, as stated by Barry, who shares an intriguing link with the Academy Award winner.

As I delved into the world of “Devil in a Blue Dress” alongside the illustrious Denzel Washington, it was during this time that Reese served as my diligent intern. On a particularly memorable day, coincidentally her 17th birthday, she added a fresh spark to our team, proving herself to be a trusted confidante throughout the project.

When questioned about whether the megaproducer worked as diligently as a teenager compared to her current work ethic, Barry replied emphatically, “Indeed, yes!

Following the discovery of their ‘Noah’ character in Ryan Gosling, there was considerable expectation to select the ideal actress for the film’s female protagonist, as Barry pointed out, prompting a nationwide hunt.

In Barry’s words, “Originally, he had secured Ryan, but the studio didn’t strictly require a well-known figure. However, they granted us a week to find someone suitable. It seemed likely that the film might not proceed unless we found someone extraordinary, and that’s exactly what they asked for.

Among the top possibilities for Allie was a globally renowned pop artist, who previously collaborated with Gosling during their shared time at The Mickey Mouse Club in our childhood years.

During the peak of her career, as recalled by Barry, Spears expressed a strong desire to be thoroughly prepared. So, he invited her to collaborate with him and his partner. To his delight, she showed up for eight hours on consecutive days and put in an exceptional effort, proving herself to be truly impressive during their work together.

During the final round of auditions, Spears stood out so much that she was asked to read scenes alongside Gosling. Alongside her were six other talented actresses, including Jaime King, Jennifer Love Hewitt, and, naturally, Rachel McAdams.

“They loved Britney,” Barry said. “It was probably between Rachel and Britney at the time.”

Barry acknowledged that Cassavetes had some reservations about making a movie featuring Britney Spears, as he wondered, “Is this really a Britney Spears film I’m going to make?” However, he also mentioned that her acting ability was certainly taken into account, saying, “She was indeed talented.

Another promising actress, who shone brightly in “Underworld,” was under serious consideration for the main role. However, it wasn’t her lack of rapport with Gosling that ultimately hindered her chances.

In simpler terms, Nick traveled to San Francisco to meet her, but there wasn’t any romantic spark between them. Consequently, he said something along the lines of, “She’s not a good fit, help me find someone else.

Prior to the reading of the script, Ryan Gosling had been an ardent supporter of McGregor, a well-known Canadian actress from the movie “Slap Her… She’s French”, being his choice for the role of Alli opposite him in the character of Noah.

Reminding that they were all highly regarded, Barry mentioned that Gosling, Cassavetes, and himself traveled to Atlanta for a meeting with McGregor.

In a challenging turn of events, the character Allie proved difficult to portray. It wasn’t an effortless role, and we put in significant effort to bring this girl to life. However, it seemed she lacked the necessary qualities. During dinner, Ryan expressed his desire to collaborate with her, stating, “Let me work with her, let me work with her.” True to his words, he went to work with her, but even after his attempts, he still couldn’t seem to connect with her performance.

As per Barry’s account, the actress who starred in “The Hunger Games” tried out for the role of Allie. However, since she was only thirteen years old, Barry found her to be significantly younger than what was required for the part.

Eventually, Rachel was incredibly resilient, causing everyone to vie for her support, as Barry put it about the movie’s leading actress. “She appeared seemingly out of thin air,” he added.

At that moment, Rachel McAdams was virtually unrecognized. Barry confessed that his initial response upon seeing her name on the schedule was a question of “Who is Rachel McAdams?” (He also disclosed they hadn’t informed Cassavetes that she had recently appeared in Rob Schneider’s film titled “The Hot Chick“).

However, overwhelmed by her captivating audition, Barry later confessed, “I felt a wave of doubt when I thought, ‘Could a studio really invest $30 million into a film starring Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams?’ I was frustrated.” Yet, he persisted in championing her cause and eventually, thanks to Cassavetes’ positive reputation with the studio due to the success of “John Q” in 2002, McAdams secured the role of their Allie.

Prior to Gosling becoming established as a top-tier Hollywood leading man with his breakout role, the producers had also shown interest in another promising young Canadian actor. They even attended a screening of the newest “Star Wars” movie to observe him on the cinema screen.

In Barry’s words, “Our duration was likely between 20-25 minutes, and he exclaimed, ‘He isn’t an actor.’ At this moment, Nick looked at me and my companion then asked, ‘On whom are your bets placed?’

The duo became fans of Ryan Gosling after watching him in the 2001 indie film “The Believer,” and they had previously introduced the 23-year-old Gosling to Cassavetes during a rehearsal for a war movie that the director didn’t eventually make, which also featured Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire.

Barry explained that Nick had expressed something along the lines of “Ryan Gosling, right?” To which Nick replied, “I adore him!” Barry continued by saying that at the time, Nick had to go to the studio. Interestingly, the studio was already aware and seemed to have a sense that Ryan would become a star. Hollywood often has this kind of foresight. They knew, we knew, and it turned out to be an ideal fit. When Ryan came in for his meeting with Nick, he asked numerous questions, as he usually does, and he’s just exceptionally intelligent young man.

Can you imagine the Top Gun star as Noah? Well, it almost happened.

Following New Line’s acquisition of the novel rights in 1996, Steven Spielberg showed interest in directing the film, with Cruise being his preferred leading actor. Regrettably, scheduling conflicts arose, as they often do, and the project remained dormant for several years until director Nick Cassavetes took over.

The crowd was nearly on the brink of being captivated by Clooney constructing a house, longing just as Noah did. In a virtual gathering for the 2020 BFI London Film Festival, the Oscar laureate disclosed that he and the iconic actor Paul Newman had been intending to collaborate on this movie project.

Essentially, Clooney mentioned that he intended to portray the character as a youthful individual, finding it amusing. Upon meeting, they agreed, “‘This is perfect.’ It’s going to be fantastic,” shared Clooney.

It seems there was an issue, as he mentioned, “He’s one of the most handsome men you’ve ever met,” the actor from Ocean’s Eleven explained. “We tried getting together again, but I couldn’t pull off your role because we don’t resemble each other at all. It was an unusual match. We wanted to collaborate, but in the end, it wasn’t suitable for us.

Prior to gaining widespread recognition as a renowned figure in the acting and directing world, the individual was considered for the role of Allie’s charming fiancee, Lon Hammond. However, this part eventually went to James Marsden instead.

In the studio, there was a strong effort to cast Cole Hauser in 2 Fast 2 Furious. However, Barry firmly stated, “I wasn’t keen on him because I felt he wasn’t likeable enough.” He put up quite a fight against their decision.

Instead, it was Marsden, fresh from his role in X-Men, that Barry advocated for to secure the part of the kind character who fails to win the affection of the lady.

Barry praised Marsden, saying, “He’s truly exceptional in every way!” He added that Hollywood is often filled with troubled individuals and difficult personalities, but Marsden is not one of them. In fact, he was simply wonderful.

While on a nationwide hunt for their co-star, Barry disclosed that he had traveled extensively across the country to engage with multiple actresses prior to holding their ultimate screen tests with Gosling in Los Angeles.

Barry shared that we traveled to Texas, a location where Jessica Biel was filming the movie “Texas Chainsaw Massacre.” He also mentioned that he had the opportunity to tape her inside her trailer during that visit.

Biel told Elle in 2011 that she considers the movie her one professional opportunity that got away.

She reminisced, “That was the role I yearned for so deeply. While filming ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’, I auditioned with Ryan Gosling in my blood-soaked trailer. Nick Cassavetes subjected me to a series of challenging, creatively stimulating tests. Yet, many roles slip through our fingers. We’re compelled to endure the pain of rejection. It’s an endless hunger.

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2025-05-22 21:17