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Keira Knightley, Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl. 2002 The first one… The four finalists for the role of Elizabeth Swann were Jessica Alba, Jamie Alexander, Amanda Bynes and the 17-year-old Keira. She was surprised to win. ”I don’t have a bosom!” Johnny Depp’s piratical Jack Sparrow did not agree. In #5: Dead Men Tell No Tales, 2015, refers to her as “golden-haired, stubborn, pouty lips, neck like a giraffe, and two of those wonderful…”
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Emma Roberts, Nancy Drew, 2007. For the sixth screen incarnation of the amateur teenage girl sleuth, Bynes and Skye Sweetnam were dropped in favour of Emma – Julia Roberts’ niece. Nancy was created in 1930 by publisher Edward Stratemeyer (and penned by various writers sharing the the Carolyn Keene pseudonym of) as a counterpart to The Hardy Boys books. Bonita Granville was the cinema’s first Nancy during 1938-1939. Followed by Pamela Sue Martin, Janet Louise Johnson, Tracy Ryan, Maggie Lawson, Emma Roberts and Sophie Lilllis. (During 1997-20015, Margot Kidder, Maggie Lawson, Sarah Shahi and Robert Shore headed failed pilots).
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Amanda Seyfried, Mamma Mia, 2008. One Amanda for another… Keira Knightley, Rachel McAdams, Mandy Moore, Emmy Rossum were also in the Abba musical mix for Sophie. Meryl Streep was Mama but who was Dad, that was the question. Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth or Stellan Skarsgård? Hey, hadn’t the plot (of a mother not knowing which of three lovers fathered her daughter) already been spun for Gina Lollobrigida in Buona Sera Mrs Campbell… in 1967!
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Alexis Bledel, Post Grad, 2008. Last minute change of one AB for another as the new college graduate attempting to enter the job market. The role was somewhat bland in the bland world of this bland comedy. But critic Roger Ebert fell for Alexis: “There’s no doubt Alexis Bledel is the star of this show, an adorable young woman.”
- Amanda Seyfried, Jennifer’s Body, 2008. “Man, we read so many amazing actors,” director Karyn Kusama recalled in Variety, September 2019; Including Amanda Bynes, Lizzy Caplan, Emma Stone “But there was just something about Amanda. She had this complete wide-eyed wonder about the world in her audition and it traveled through her whole performance.” “Jennifer was always Megan Fox,” added scenarist Diablo Cody. And Megan was extremnely unhappy about horror film’s marketing being hinged on: Megan Fox is sexy, come see this movie. “And the movie wasn’t about that. The movie was actually about mis-marketing, about people focusing on something and missing the point, about sexualizing somebody who doesn’t want to be sexualized, about all of these other things,
- Alexandra Daddario, Hall Pass, 2010. The ex-child star’s publicist was quick to deny reports that she was sacked by the directing Farrelly brothers for bad behavour on the set – “Amanda left due to a scheduling conflict.” After 19 screen roles in 11 years, Amanda announced her retirement in June – “I don’t love acting anymore, so I’ve stopped.” She changed her mind in August but hasn’t filmed since. The spectacular Daddario famously turned on the True Detective fans in 2014.
- Julianne Hough, Footloose, 2010, As the lead role changed from Zac Efron to Kenny Wormald, so did his main squeeze – from Amanda, Miley Cyrus and Hayden Panettiere to the fast-rising blonde from Utah… and Cher’s first (and only!) musical, Burlesque.
- Zooey Deschanel, New Girl, TV, 2011-218 . Bynes was nearly Jess in a reverse take on the 70s’ Three’s Company. Back then, John Ritter shared an apartment with two girls – idem for Jess but with three guys.
Birth year: Death year: Other name: Casting Calls: 8