- Drew Barrymore, ET, the Extra-Terrestrial, 1981. Future Buffy Sarah Michelle Gellar auditioned for Gertie. So did Lewis, but her father, actor Geoffrey Lewis, reportedly made her turn down… the fourth highest-grossing movie of all time. The most famous Indian auteur, Satyajit Ray, said it plagiarised his 1967 script, The Alien, once due for Marlon Brando and Peter Sellers… but no Gertie!
- 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, Carey Lowell, Kelly Lynch, Virginia Madsen, Mary Stuart Masterson, Sarah Jessica Parker, Alexandra Paul, Amanda Pays, 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.
- Winona Ryder, Beetlejuice, 1987. Finding Betelgeuse was easier for director Tim Burton than unearthing Lydia. He saw Lewis, Justine Batman, Jennifer Connelly, Diane Lane, Lori Loughlin, Sarah Jessica Parker, Molly Ringwald, Brooke Shields. And fell for Winona, a sweet 17 at the time. Warners hated the title, suggested House Ghosts. Director Tim Burton countered with: Scared Sheetless.
- Sadie Frost, Dracula, 1992. Poor Francis Coppola got few of his first choices – Jeremy Irons for Drac, Johnny Depp as Jonathan Harker and Lewis as Lucy. So it blows. But she won her breakthrough in Martin Scorsese’s Cape Fear.
- Marguerite Moreau, The Mighty Ducks (UK: Champions),1992. Shooting from January 22 to April 11 to be precise. Change of Connie for what Chicago critic Roger Ebert said could have been written by a computer. Due to the changed UK title, the final credits song was also switched – to Queen’s We Are The Champions.
- Patricia Arquette, True Romance, 1992. “I’m not a whore. I’m a call-girl. There’s a difference, you know!”Quentin Tarantino created Alabama for Joan Cusack. UK director Tony Scott preferred Drew Barrymore, fully booked at the time. So Lewis, Lane, Bridget Fonda, Julia Roberts, Kyra Sedgwick, Brooke Shields and (inevitably) Uma Thurman were tipped for the girl… with the name, said QT, sounding like a Pam Grier role! Except she was named Jackie Brownwhen he directed her in 1997. In Tarantino’s first ending, Clarence was killed and Alabama would turn to crime with Mr. White – he asked about her during Reservoir Dogs, 1991.
- Jennifer Connolly, Higher Learning, 1994. Yes to John Singleton – but not this time
- Dominique Swain, Lolita, 1996. Adrian Lyne thought she was too old in 1994. He was right, she was 21.
- Robin Tunney, Niagara, Niagara, 1997. Both Lewis and Kate Winslet refused Marcy, the Tourette’s syndrome victim befriended by Henry (ET) Thomas.
- Anne Hathaway, The Princess Diaries, 2001. When director Garry Marshall’s (rather surprising) first choice quit, 22 other young actresses (Jessica Alba to Reese Witherspoon) also refused the awkward San Francisco teenager being groomed (by Julie Andrews!) to inherit the Genovia throne. It became Hathaway’s movie debut.
- Rachel Griffiths, Six Feet Under, TV, 2001-2005. Lewis and Dina Spybey auditioned for the weird Brenda Chenowith. Rachel flew in from Australia to prove her perfect US accent – and great chemistry with co-star Peter Krause.
- Anne Hathaway, The Devil Wears Prada, 2005. Juliette tried out for Vogue editor Anna Wintour’s – er, Meryl Streep’s – long suffering personal assistant –- In the delightful look at the real fashion world – “sinfully funny, deliciously glossy,” said Rolling Stone critic Peter Travers “Streep knocks every laugh out of the park More remarkably, she humanises a character who was little more than a bitch… on the page.” She did more than that. She voted for Hathaway after seeing her Brokeback Mountain.
- Katherine Heigl, Knocked Up, 2006.
- Tammy Blanchard, Rabbit Hole, 2009. Lewis or Tammy for Nicole Kidman’s irresponsible sister? Tammy was selected by John Cameron Mitchell, director of the celebrated 2005 hardcore fim, Shortbus, who was selected to helm David Lindsay-Abaire’s script of his Pulitzer Prize-winning play, by Kidman, in her debut as producer.
- Melissa Leo, A Single Shot, 2012. Lewis was seen but Melissa had lately won a support Oscar – as Mark Wahlberg’s mother in The Fighter, 2010.
Birth year: 1973Death year: Other name: Casting Calls: 15