Nick Lachey Almost Played Vincent Chase in Entourage Before Adrian Grenier Landed the Role

Nick Lachey just wasn’t a perfect match for Entourage.

98 Degrees band member shared that during the early 2000s, he tried out for the main character in an HBO show, which followed the life of a rising star and his group of friends. However, he didn’t get selected for the role.

Nick remarked during the April 10th episode of the Throwbacks podcast, “That series was incredibly innovative.” His comment came after co-host Jerry Ferrara mentioned his own involvement with the show. He added, “Fun fact, I even auditioned for that show.

Jerry, 45, who portrayed Turtle in all eight seasons and the 2015 movie, accurately deduced that Nick had attempted to secure the role of leading man Vincent Chase, which was eventually taken by Adrian Grenier. Nick hinted to the hosts of Love is Blind that he would have excelled as Vince.

However, Nick admitted that despite his initial disappointment, the right man got the part.

Nick, aged 51, responded to Jerry and fellow host Matt Leinart, stating, “It would have given a completely new perspective on the character. He was spot-on.

He continued, “That show was so iconic in that moment. Everyone loved it.”

Although the show “Entourage,” which aired from 2004 to 2011, didn’t seem to be successful for him, Nick has been involved in various screen projects lately, even though these roles aren’t typically considered acting positions.

Since the year 2023, the artist known for “What’s Left of Me” has been hosting Perfect Match. Alongside his wife Vanessa Lachey since 2011, they have three children: Camden (age 12), Brooklyn (age 10), and Phoenix (age 8). Together, they also host Love is Blind and The Ultimatum.

And Vanessa has been open about how working together has had a positive impact on their marriage.

In 2024, the star of NCIS: Hawai’i, who was 44 at the time, shared with TopMob News that it’s a great privilege for him to do this together with Nick. He also mentioned that it has significantly contributed to their marriage and serves as a form of ongoing relationship counseling, almost like real-life marital therapy.

Nick expressed similar feelings, thanking the person for allowing him to work with someone he cares deeply for.

In an interview with TopMob News back in February, he expressed that the show not only allows us to engage in something we passionately enjoy and be part of a production we admire, but it also provides us with the chance to collaborate with individuals we deeply care for.

For more TV roles that almost went to other stars, read on.

In the end, the part from “Star Trek” was given to Ben McKenzie instead, as the actor had severe acne issues.

In an episode of Josh Horowitz’s podcast, Happy Sad, he shared that his skin was very problematic during his teenage years. Later, even after graduating from college, he found that his skin issues returned once more. (May 2024)

In a 2021 SiriusXM interview, the former star of “American Pie” confessed a heartfelt remorse, sharing, “I had the chance to play this role, and looking back, it’s one of my biggest regrets not accepting it.” At that moment in time, I found myself questioning, ‘Is television the path I wish to tread?’ Honestly, at that juncture, I was uncertain if I was ready for that commitment.

David Rapaport, a casting director, expressed that prior to Penn Badgley’s involvement, he had hoped Alden Ehrenreich would portray Dan. However, producers deemed the 5-foot-9 actor to be too short for the role of Blake Lively’s love interest. Instead, the part was awarded to Penn Badgley, who is approximately the same height as Ehrenreich, based on online sources.

In my own words, during a conversation on Marc Maron’s podcast and as detailed in his 2014 memoir, I shared that I declined the opportunity to play McDreamy. Jokingly, I mentioned it might have cost me $70 million, but I added casually, “Eh, it’s just money.” I confessed that I watched the pilot when it first aired, and when they started calling the handsome doctor ‘McDreamy’, I thought, “Nah, that’s not my role.

In the past, Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays Sherlock and Doctor Strange, had tried out for the role of Bill Compton the vampire, but eventually Stephen Moyer was cast in that part instead.

Prior to being nominated for an Oscar, Jessica Chastain auditioned for the character of Sookie Stackhouse. However, the role ended up going to Anna Paquin.

17-year-old Jennifer Lawrence auditioned for the role of werepanther Crystal Norris, coming very close to getting it, but ultimately, her youth was a deciding factor, leading to the part being given to Lindsay Pulsipher instead.

Tiffani Thiessen, known from “Saved By the Bell” and “Beverly Hills, 90210”, shared that she tried out for the character Rachel on “Friends”, but she was deemed too young for the part at that time.

It was nearly a reality: Katherine Langford, famous for her Golden Globe-nominated role in 13 Reasons Why, tried out for the part of Betty Cooper on Riverdale. This tidbit was shared by Riverdale’s own Camila Mendes in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. “I recall we went out for falafel with a contender for Archie,” Mendes said.

Initially, it was challenging to picture anyone other than the current character representing Capeside’s New York City transplant. However, as Kevin Williamson disclosed to Entertainment Weekly, the role of Jen almost belonged to Katherine Heigl, who would later become famous for Grey’s Anatomy. This was due to pilot director Steve Miner, who suggested Heigl – the star of his 1994 film My Father the Hero – to Williamson. According to Williamson, at that time, Heigl appeared slightly older. Despite being younger, he believed she was more mature. During her audition, she impressed everyone with her performance, leaving them in awe, as Williamson recollected, “Wow, she’s good!

The friendship role between characters Dawson Leery and Joey Potter, played by Katie Holmes, was crucial to her rise to stardom in the series. Interestingly, the part was initially intended for Selma Blair, but she ultimately lost it. As creator Kevin Williamson confessed to Entertainment Weekly, it was a home video from the Holmes family’s basement in Toledo, Ohio that tipped the scales. He stated, “I had always admired Selma, until I received the infamous tape from the Holmes family basement. When that tape arrived, it completely altered the course of my life.

Actress from “The House” and “Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce” almost secured the legendary role of Carrie Bradshaw, going as far as finalizing a contract. However, she ultimately served as the understudy to producers’ initial pick, Sarah Jessica Parker. As Edelstein explained, “I was either going to get it or not. It hinged on whether she agreed.” Despite our difficulty envisioning anyone but SJP as Carrie Bradshaw, Edelstein’s situation is quite plausible.

At first, The CW considered having Ashley Olsen as our beloved Upper East Sider with blonde hair, but casting director David Rapaport shared with Buzzfeed that he was captivated by Lively instead. “I was apprehensive that we wouldn’t be able to secure her or they might not take a liking to her because, truthfully, the show hinged on her and I had no other alternatives,” he admitted.

The CW considered Rumer Willis as the main character in future seasons of “Dancing With the Stars”, but casting director Rapaport believed she wasn’t suitable for the role on “Gossip Girl” (and later cast her on “90210”). As he explained to Buzzfeed, “I admire Rumer greatly. She has evolved into a fantastic actress and individual, but for that particular role, it was about safeguarding the investment of a television show where the lesser-known actresses truly embodied the spirit of the series and sustained its success for six years.

Prior to landing the role in Fox’s amusing horror comedy “Scream Queens”, Keke Palmer was also being considered for the part of Iris West on “The Flash”. The role eventually went to Candice Patton. David Rapaport, the casting director, mentioned that initially they saw Candice, but it was too early in the process to cast her, so they ended up testing Keke Palmer and another actress. However, both felt a bit young compared to Grant Gustin. When he brought Candice back for another audition, it was a perfect fit.

In an interview with The Telegraph, Iwan Rheon revealed that during the casting process for Game of Thrones, he was one of the final contenders for the role of Jon Snow. However, instead of embodying Jon, as many fans would have loved, Rheon ultimately portrayed Ramsay Snow, a character who earned much disdain in season 5. Meanwhile, Kit Harington won our affection and became synonymous with Jon Snow. It’s too difficult to conceive of an alternative reality, so we simply choose not to think about it.

In an interview, Josh Schwartz, who worked with the actor from the Guardians of the Galaxy series on the last season of The O.C., stated that Pratt was his initial choice for the role eventually given to Zachary Levi in Chuck. Schwartz expressed, “He was my ideal candidate to play ‘Chuck’. However, it turned out he was meant to protect the galaxy instead of the Buy More.” He added, “By the way, I couldn’t think of a better person for the role.

In the initial stages of its creation, the creator of “Orange Is the New Black”, Jenji Kohan, disclosed that she had a meeting with a veteran from “Dawson’s Creek”. Holmes, who is a known fan of the series, had other commitments at the time, as mentioned by Kohan to TopMob News. Furthermore, in the early stages, no one was fully aware of what this new project would become.

Indeed, Cobie Smulders hints that Robin Scherbatsky might have resembled Kate Austen, implying a significant difference in the development of two beloved series.

Back in 2014, it was disclosed that both Evangeline Lilly and she were trying out for the show “Lost.” As Smulders shared with TopMob News, Lilly is indebted to her because Smulders flopped during the audition. Instead of Lilly, it was Smulders who got a thank-you note!

It’s commonly known that “The Good Wife” is Julianna Margulies’ series, but it nearly didn’t turn out that way. The Emmy-winning actress shared that the studio initially preferred Ashley Judd and Helen Hunt for the role before she landed it.

It’s tough to envision anyone else taking on the role of vampire slayer in Sunnydale except Sarah Michelle Gellar. However, the former wife of Tom Cruise nearly got the lead part in the WB series. But, Holmes declined the offer to attend high school instead, and eventually, Sarah Michelle Gellar was chosen for the role.

Initially, the role that ultimately landed with Edie Falco was initially proposed to Lorraine Bracco; however, the Academy Award nominee declined because she felt she had already played that character in Goodfellas and sought a fresh challenge instead.

Prior to her groundbreaking performances on the Fox series Empire, Taraji P. Henson admitted that she had once auditioned for the lead role of the fixer Olivia Pope on Scandal. She shared, “When I walked in to try out for Shonda Rhimes, in my thoughts I was saying, ‘This is Kerry Washington’s role. Why am I even here?'” She acknowledged, “It was rightfully hers.

Could you picture Agent Scully living at Downton Abbey? Remarkably, it was almost a reality, but Gillian Anderson, the actress portraying Scully, declined the part, which eventually landed in Elizabeth McGovern’s hands.

Initially, it seemed unthinkable that anyone other than Elena Gilbert could grace our screens on the successful CW series, but surprisingly, the network had already set their sights on the singer-actress as their top pick. However, it wasn’t until the producers revisited Nina Dobrev‘s audition tape that they were convinced to select the stunning Bulgarian actress for the role.

The famed vocalist was given a chance to star in a TV series led by Bill Cosby, but she declined to focus on her musical aspirations instead.

To enthusiasts of “Sex and the City”, Sarah Jessica Parker is synonymous with Carrie Bradshaw, however, it was once Dana Delany who was given the opportunity to play the New York columnist. The Emmy-winning actress declined the role as she had previously worked on numerous projects involving explicit content (such as “Nude Girls” and “Exit to Eden”) and wished to avoid a project with “sex” in its title due to her past experiences.

David Letterman’s music director was proposed the position by Jerry Seinfeld without undergoing an audition, however, Shaffer chose not to return his call.

Initially, AMC considered Jane for the role of Don Draper, but Jon Hamm expressed during a podcast that he turned down the offer because he wasn’t keen on appearing on television. Eventually, he took on the lead role in HBO’s show titled “Hung”.

2010’s title of Sexiest Man Alive was offered the role in Joss Whedon’s crew, but he declined the part of Xander. In an interview with The Toronto Star in 2008, he expressed his affection for the show and its creator, saying, “I adore that series and I admire Joss Whedon.” However, his main apprehension was that he didn’t want to portray a character still in high school.

2025-04-11 23:20

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