Listen up, folks! Before Olivia Cooke was slaying it as Alicent Hightower in ‘House of the Dragon,’ she once threw her hat into the ring for one of the biggest roles in Hollywood: Rey in ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens.’ And, according to the actress herself, her ‘Star Wars Audition’ was, well, straight up ‘sketchy.’ She recently spilled the tea on Josh Horowitz’s ‘Happy Sad Confused’ podcast, admitting she was ‘shit’ during her try-outs with J.J. Abrams. It just goes to show you that even future stars hit some major roadblocks on their journey to the top, proving Hollywood can be a wild ride.
It’s easy to look back and think, ‘What if?’ but the pressure cooker of a major franchise audition, especially for something as iconic as ‘Star Wars,’ is legit intense. Every actor and their dog probably auditioned for that coveted role, and the stakes were higher than Snoop Dogg on a Saturday night. Cooke’s honesty about feeling like she wasn’t ‘that kind of an actor at that time’ is pretty refreshing, a real ‘my bad’ moment that many can relate to. It highlights that sometimes, it’s not about talent lacking, but simply not being the right fit for the specific vision a director has, or perhaps not having the specific skill set developed yet.
However, that ‘bad’ audition didn’t keep Olivia Cooke down for long, no cap. Her career post-Star Wars try-out has been nothing short of impressive. She went on to deliver killer performances in films like ‘Me and Earl and the Dying Girl,’ showcased her versatility in ‘Ready Player One,’ and gave a deeply moving portrayal in the Oscar-nominated ‘Sound of Metal.’ These roles weren’t just stepping stones; they were legitimate showcases of her evolving talent and range, proving that one ‘off’ day or a miscast opportunity is just a blip on a talented actor’s radar.
The journey from audition flop to landing a lead role in a massive HBO series like ‘House of the Dragon’ is a powerful narrative of resilience. It’s a reminder that even when you feel you’ve let yourself and everyone in the room down, true talent finds its way. Casting directors, after all, are searching for a particular energy and embodiment of a character, and sometimes it just doesn’t align in a single moment. Cooke’s success is a testament to perseverance and continuously honing one’s craft until the right role comes along that truly hits different.
Her candid confession also sheds light on the often-hidden struggles behind the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. It’s not always sunshine and rainbows; there are plenty of rejections and self-doubt along the way. But by sharing her experience, Cooke offers a dose of reality that’s both humbling and inspiring, showing that even the pros aren’t always ‘on point’ right out of the gate, and that’s perfectly okay. It’s about how you bounce back and keep grinding, periodt.
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Livia Dorne covers film, television, music, and pop culture with a keen editorial perspective. She delivers engaging commentary, reviews, and behind-the-scenes insights that keep readers connected to the entertainment world. Her style blends critique with storytelling.
