Iconic TV Characters That Were Almost Played by Someone Else: Monica Geller, Claire Dunphy and More

Almost Famous

A golden god!

Casting director Gail Levin revealed that Brad Pitt was “the first choice” to play Russell Hammond, not Billy Crudup. When Brad dropped out of the film, director Cameron Crowe confessed that he “wept” over the news.

The Amazing Spider-Man

Your friendly neighborhood…pop star?! Peter Parker was almost played by none other than Joe Jonas.

“I was so, so excited,” the singer said of auditioning to play the web-slinging superhero. “It was the year Andrew Garfield got it. Obviously, he was the right one.”

Modern Family

Judy Greer was offered the chance to audition for Claire Dunphy on the hit sitcom but turned it down.

“I was just like, ‘I don’t know if I want to be America’s mom yet,’” she shared.

The part went to Julie Bowen, who earned two Emmys for her portrayal of the family matriarch.

Friends

Kristin Davis lost the role of Monica Geller to an actual friend.

“Courteney [Cox] and I were in the same yoga class…and we would hang out after,” the Sex and the City star recalled. “One day, [she] was like, ‘Hey, guys. Do you want to come car shopping? I did this pilot, I’m feeling really good about it.’ It was Friends, and it did go very well.”

Wicked

Not that girl! Amanda Seyfried tried out for Glinda the Good Witch while filming Hulu’s The Dropout.

“I literally bent over backward,” said the actress.

However, there are no hard feelings over Ariana Grande’s casting.

“[The experience] taught me how far I’ve come as a singer,” said Amanda, “which I really wanted to prove.”

Grey’s Anatomy

Rob Lowe passed on portraying Dr. Derek Shepherd in Grey’s Anatomy, a part made famous by another ’80s heartthrob: Patrick Dempsey. Instead, he signed on to Dr. Vegas, a medical drama that flatlined halfway through its first season.

“That [decision] probably cost me $70 million,” Rob’s joked.