- Jennifer Connelly, Labyrinth, 1985. . For Muppeteer-in-Chief Jim Henson’s sequel to his Dark Crystal (and alas his final film), 145actresses were candidates for Sarah – Yasmin Bleeth, Helena Bonham Carter, Maddie Corman, Laura Dern, Kerri Green, Jane Krakowski, Mary Stuart Masterson, Sarah Jessica Parker, Mia Sara, Laura San Giacomo, Ally Sheedy, Lily Taylor and Marisa Tomei. They all lost the election to the stunning Connelly… opposite David Bowie. The wondrous names of folk in JK Rowling’s Potterverse (Moggle, Dometrious, etc) seem inspired by such Hensonversers as Ambrosius, Didymus, Hoggle, Ludo…
- Robin Wright (Penn), The Princess Bride, 1986. Director Rob Reiner thumbed through a veritable little black book of Hollywood’s new young hotties! Suzy Amis, Valerie Bertinelli, Yasmine Bleeth, Phoebe Cates, Courteney Cox, Kim Delaney, Rebecca de Mornay, Cathryn de Prume, Sherilyn Fenn, Jennifer Grey, Anne Heche, Marg Helgenberger, Lauren Holly, Patsy Kensit, Juliette Lewis, Carey Lowell, Kelly Lynch, Virginia Madsen Sarah Jessica Parker, Alexandra Paul, Amanda Pays, Meg Ryan, Mia Sara, Greta Scacchi, Annabella Sciorra, Kyra Sedgwick, Tori Spelling, Catherine Mary Stewart, Brenda Strong, Courtney Thorne-Smith, Uma Thurman, Meg Tilly, Charlene Tilton, Nancy Travis, Amy Yasbeck, Sean Young.
- Darryl Hannah, Wall Street, 1987. Everyone agreed that Hannah was miscast – and MSM was on standby to replace her. However, writer-director Oliver Stone was happy with Darryl and what casting director and future Stone producer Risa Bramon Garcia called “that whole shiksa goddess thing.”
- Lori Singer, Short Cuts, 1992. MSM was part of director Robert Altman’s 1990 ensemble defeated by budget problems.
- Kyra Sedgwick, Singles, 1992. For Linda, fledgling auteur Cameron Crowe obviously rushed to Jennifer Jason Leigh, from his breakthrough, Fast Times At Ridgemont High, 1982. She agreed, then changed her mind and he went to MSM, Jodie Foster and… Kyra.
- Andie McDowell, Four Weddings and a Funeral, 1993. “We met 16 actresses when we went to LA,”producer Duncan Kenworthy told Deadline Hollywood 25 years laterspecial. Triple-namersJennifer Jason Leigh and Mary Stuart Masterson auditioned, Marisa Tomei won until, ironically, a family bereavement. “So we had no-one. When we heard that Andie was able to meet, we found her very impressive”for what US distributor Gramacy wanted to call: Rolling In The Aisles. Or, Loitering In Sacred Places. Or, The Best Man.
Birth year: Death year: Other name: Casting Calls: 6