Emma Stone has become one of the most sought-after actresses in Hollywood in this generation, especially after her Best Actress Oscar win for her role in La La Land (2016). From appearing in teen comedies to starring in minor roles, she has transformed into one of the best leading ladies in the entertainment industry.
Like many other celebrities, Stone also had her fair share of roles that slipped through her fingers. The actress was almost cast in one of the most groundbreaking television series back in 2003.
Emma Stone Almost Starred In The O.C.
In the new book Welcome To The O.C.: The Oral History written by Alan Sepinwall, fans would find out a lot of the behind-the-scenes and hidden truths about the famed series. One of the most shocking revelations was Emma Stone’s almost casting in the franchise.
Executive producer Stephanie Savage mentioned, “We saw quite a few people for that. We saw Hayden Panettiere, we saw Britt Robertson. Lily Collins.” Series creator Josh Schwartz added, “We had a meeting with Emma Stone.”
A young Stone would have starred in the series as Kaitlin Cooper, the devious younger sister of Marissa. Unfortunately, the actress “felt green in that moment” so the role ultimately went to Willa Holland. It was a shame because, according to Schwartz, Stone resembled Melinda Clarke, the star who portrayed Julie Cooper.
This was not the first time the role of Kaitlin Cooper had to be recast. In the first season, Shailene Woodley played the character but did not return for season two. In season three, when Kaitlin became one of the main characters, they had to find another actress.
Despite Stone not snagging the role, it’s not really the end of the road for her, but it only gave her more opportunities to explore other projects. While Holland managed to finish her contract with the show and eventually tried her hands at other projects such as Gossip Girl and Arrow, Stone is now an Oscar winner.
Emma Stone On Anxiety And Missing Out On Major Roles
Losing a role to someone else can be frustrating, but nothing is more regretful than not trying at all. Emma Stone revealed in an interview with The Talks that she still gets anxious when performing or going on auditions. She explained:
“I wouldn’t say that performing is a cure for anxiety, but when you have excess energy that turns inward and makes you an over-thinker, you can begin to panic.”
The actress remarked that her recognition does not mean it gets easier for her to deal with certain roles. For Stone, it is more about why she chose to join that project, and if it does not work out, she would be fine.
“It’s other people telling you that you are doing well, and relying on the outside world, that’s anxiety-inducing to me. Right now, it’s becoming more and more aligned with knowing why I make the choices I make and owning the mistakes I make and telling myself, ‘You are okay.’ ”
Finally, the Poor Things star reiterated that making mistakes is okay and that one should not punish themselves for slipping up once in a while.
“It’s not about high self-esteem, it’s not about, ‘You’re the best, you’re doing great.’ It’s the opposite, it’s: ‘You messed up here, and that’s okay.’ You don’t have to beat yourself up about that.”
Stone may have missed out on a lot of iconic roles in the past, as well as turned down projects she did not think would push her career forward or bring out her real talent on screen, but she does not regret any of her choices.
