16 Stars Who Nearly Performed Noah and Allie in ‘The Pocket book’

The Pocket book turned an instantaneous basic when it premiered in 2004.

Though Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling finally performed beloved love pursuits Allison “Allie” Hamilton and Noah Calhoun, there have been a number of different stars who nearly snagged the roles through the 2002 audition course of. Director Nick Cassavetes and casting director Matthew Barry selected Gosling earlier on within the course of, whereas it took longer to scour the nation for who would play Allie.

“[Gosling was] bizarre sufficient in a sure respect that you’d imagine that he would know that he might take one have a look at someone and know that that was the particular person for them,” Cassavetes mentioned in an interview.

After assembly with dozens of actresses, the administrators examined out 10 completely different girls with Gosling for a chemistry learn.

“All people who was anyone that yr wished this half,” Barry informed the Every day Mail in 2023.

The search later dwindled all the way down to McAdams and Britney Spears, however they finally went with McAdams — who was comparatively unknown on the time — due to her chemistry with Gosling.

“When Miss McAdams got here in and skim, it was obvious that she was the one,” Cassavetes mentioned in the identical video.

So, who had been the opposite actors and actresses who auditioned for The Pocket book? This is all the things to know concerning the stars who did not turn out to be Noah and Allie.

Allie

Britney Spears

The function of Allie finally got here all the way down to both Spears or McAdams.

“On the peak of her profession she was like, ‘I wish to be actually ready for this,’ ” Barry recalled to E! Information in 2021. “So I mentioned, ‘OK, come work with me and my associate.’ And she or he got here in eight hours, two days in a row and labored with us. She was implausible.”

Barry later informed the Every day Mail that Spears’ audition “blew away” him and the opposite producers.

“Britney wasn’t simply good — she was phenomenal,” he informed the outlet. “It was a troublesome determination. Britney blew us all away. Our jaws had been on the ground. I used to be blown away. Completely blown away. She introduced her A-game that day.”

Nonetheless, Barry informed E! Information that Cassavetes had some hesitations over casting Spears whereas she was hovering in fame (she had simply acted within the 2002 movie Crossroads). Though they went with McAdams for the function, Spears later addressed the rejection and mentioned it was for one of the best.

“The Pocket book casting got here all the way down to me and Rachel McAdams, and despite the fact that it will have been enjoyable to reconnect with Ryan Gosling after our time on The Mickey Mouse Membership, I am glad I did not do it. If I had, as an alternative of engaged on my album Within the Zone, I might have been performing like a Nineteen Forties heiress day and night time,” she wrote in her 2023 memoir, The Lady In Me. “Dwelling that method, being half your self and half a fictional character, is tousled. After some time you do not know what’s actual anymore.”

Spears ended up performing in a couple of extra films — Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002), Pauly Shore Is Useless (2003) and Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004) — however she prioritized her music and launched albums Within the Zone (2003) and Blackout (2007).

Reese Witherspoon

Casting director Barry informed E! Information that Reese Witherspoon was initially regarded as a possible candidate for Allie.

Nonetheless, earlier than she auditioned for the function, Barry and the remainder of the group “realized she was too previous for the function.” On the time of the film in 2004, Allie and Noah had been each presupposed to be 17, whereas Witherspoon was 28.

In fact, not getting The Pocket book was removed from detrimental, as Witherspoon turned a number one romantic comedy actress and starred in Legally Blonde, Candy House Alabama, Self-importance Honest, Stroll the Line and Simply Like Heaven — all from 2001 to 2005.

Jennifer Lawrence

Earlier than Jennifer Lawrence had her large break in The Starvation Video games, she auditioned for the function of Allie. Nonetheless, Barry recalled that she was simply 13 years previous on the time, so “she was method too younger,” he informed E! Information.

Lawrence continued auditioning as a younger teenager and scored her first main function on the sitcom The Invoice Engvall Present (2007-2009) and the movie Winter’s Bone (2010). In 2012, she skyrocketed to fame when she acted as Katniss Everdeen in The Starvation Video games movie sequence.

Scarlett Johansson

Scarlett Johansson has not overtly spoken about auditioning for Allie, however Barry informed the Every day Mail that she was one of many girls who auditioned for the function.

On the time of her audition, she had began to see success from her roles in The Horse Whisperer (1998) and Ghost World (2001). Nonetheless, she did not let the method get her down, and he or she scored a BAFTA Award for Greatest Actress for her function within the 2003 film Misplaced in Translation. Over the following three years, she acted in Woman with a Pearl Earring, A Love Tune for Bobby Lengthy, Match Level and Scoop, amongst others.

Kate Beckinsale

On the time of The Pocket book auditions, Kate Beckinsale had been receiving reward for her function within the 2001 film Pearl Harbor with Ben Affleck. Barry defined that due to her rise to stardom, they instantly considered her early on within the function.

“Nick flew to San Francisco to go meet together with her,” Barry informed E! Information. “And there was no chemistry between the 2 of them. So Nick was like, ‘She’s out, discover me someone.’ ”

Shortly after being handed over for the function, Beckinsale discovered success when she starred as Selene within the Underworld movie franchise from 2003 to 2016. She additionally went on to behave in The Aviator (2004), Van Helsing (2004) and Click on (2006).

Jessica Biel

Jessica Biel had already solidified her performing chops by the point she was approached to audition for The Pocket book. In 2002, Biel had already starred in seventh Heaven and Ulee’s Gold (1997) and was engaged on the 2003 movie The Texas Chainsaw Bloodbath when she learn the a part of Allie.

“The director Nick, Ryan and I truly flew to Texas the place she was filming Texas Chainsaw Bloodbath and taped her in her trailer between photographs,” Barry recalled to the Every day Mail.

Biel additionally rehashed the audition throughout a Could 2025 episode of The View when she remembered pondering that The Pocket book can be “the best possibility for me in my profession.”

“We auditioned in my trailer at work, and I did not get it in fact, we all know that is the reply,” she mentioned. “However in my thoughts I simply keep in mind having blood on me and being in that white tank prime, and took my cowboy hat off, and was like, ‘Okay, I might like to fall in love with you, let’s do that.’ It was very unusual, a really Hollywood second, ?”

Biel went on to behave in The Guidelines of Attraction (2002), Blade: Trinity (2004), Stealth (2005) and The Illusionist (2006).

Amy Adams

Barry confirmed to the Every day Mail that Amy Adams was one of many girls who initially auditioned for Allie.

Adams, who has not spoken about her audition, made her movie debut within the 1999 movie Drop Useless Beautiful, however she had her breakout function within the 2002 film Catch Me If You Can and later Junebug in 2005.

Claire Danes

Claire Danes was one other actress Barry named who auditioned for Allie.

When Danes tried out for Allie in 2002, she had already had success whereas starring within the 1994 teen drama sequence My So-Known as Life — the place she gained a Golden Globe Award and earned an Emmy Award nomination. She additionally acted in Little Girls (1994), Romeo + Juliet (1996), The Rainmaker (1997) and Brokedown Palace (1999).

From 2002 to 2005, she starred in a number of movies, together with Igby Goes Down (2002), The Hours (2002), Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003), Stage Magnificence (2004), Shopgirl (2005) and The Household Stone (2005).

Mandy Moore

Mandy Moore auditioned for the function of Allie however finally wasn’t chosen, in accordance with Barry.

On the time of her 2002 audition, Moore had already solidified her profession as a pop star with the discharge of her first studio album, So Actual in 1999. She additionally started performing and had roles in The Princess Diaries (2001), A Stroll to Keep in mind (2002), The right way to Deal (2003) and Chasing Liberty (2004). Despite the fact that she did not snag The Pocket book function, she continued her twin profession by singing and performing and went on to star on Racing Stripes (2005), As a result of I Mentioned So (2007) and License to Wed (2007), amongst others.

Jennifer Love Hewitt

Jennifer Love Hewitt was one of many last six actresses narrowed down for Allie, Barry informed E! Information.

Earlier than throwing her hat into the ring for The Pocket book, Hewitt had already damaged by way of in Hollywood and had starring roles in Social gathering of 5 (1995-1999), I Know What You Did Final Summer season (1997) and its sequel I Nonetheless Know What You Did Final Summer season (1998), Heartbreakers (2001) and The Tuxedo (2002). After The Pocket book premiered in 2004, Hewitt acted within the two Garfield live-action movies (2004-2006) and the drama Ghost Whisperer (2005-2010).

Kate Bosworth

Barry informed the Every day Mail that Kate Bosworth was one of many actresses they recruited to audition for Allie, however she wasn’t a last contender.

Bosworth has not spoken concerning the audition, however she beforehand recalled struggling throughout auditions at the moment in her profession. Throughout a 2019 episode of Watch What Occurs Dwell with Andy Cohen, Bosworth revealed that she auditioned for the function of Mary Jane Watson within the 2002 movie Spider-Man however misplaced out to Kirsten Dunst after she “tanked” the audition.

“I tanked it actually, actually badly,” she mentioned on the time. “Auditioning is actually a layer of hell. It simply sucks regardless, and I used to be actually nervous. … I used to be not good at it. I knew. I simply type of froze. And I used to be actually younger!”

On the time of her 2002 audition, Bosworth had wrapped filming the hit film Blue Crush. She went on to star in Wonderland (2003), Past the Sea (2004) and Superman Returns (2006).

Jaime King

Along with McAdams, Spears and Hewitt, Jaime King was one of many last six actors who had been in talks to play Allie, Barry informed E! Information.

Earlier than auditioning for The Pocket book in 2002, King had already had a profitable modeling profession since getting found at 14 years previous. She transitioned into performing in 2001 with the film Pearl Harbor and later went on to star in Bulletproof Monk (2003), White Chicks (2004) and Sin Metropolis (2005).

Jane McGregor

Whereas Barry and Cassavetes had been assembly with completely different actresses to play Allie, Gosling steered that Jane McGregor needs to be thought of for the function.

Barry informed E! Information that Gosling was a “large champion” for McGregor, so she was “excessive on everybody’s record on the time.”

Earlier than making an attempt out for Allie, McGregor had starred within the 2002 comedy, Slap Her… She’s French and the unbiased movie Flower & Garnet. She later acted in Supernatural (2005), That Lovely Someplace (2006) and Robson Arms (2005-2008).

Noah

Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise was as soon as thought of for the function of Noah. Nonetheless, Cassavetes later determined in opposition to the thought of Cruise, as a result of he did not need “an actor that is fallen in love with 10 different actresses [on screen],” he informed Leisure Weekly in 2024.

“I’ve seen him do it 1,000,000 instances. Then you definately get to the purpose the place you are like, oh, look, it is Tom Cruise, falling in love with someone completely different this time. It would not really feel fairly as genuine,” he defined. “And we had been fortunate to have them in the beginning of their careers. And you actually believed it.”

Cruise had already had a decades-long performing profession. He rose to fame within the movies Dangerous Enterprise (1983), Prime Gun (1986) and Rain Man (1988). On the time of The Pocket book, Cruise had already gained a Golden Globe Award for Magnolia in 1999 and later acted in Vanilla Sky (2001), Minority Report (2002), The Final Samurai (2003) and Collateral (2004).

George Clooney

George Clooney was one other swoon-worthy actor who nearly stole hearts as Noah.

Earlier than The Pocket book solid Gosling as younger Noah and James Garner as older Noah, Clooney was in talks to play younger Noah alongside Paul Newman. Clooney defined in 2020 that he was shut with the late Newman, so that they thought it will be “nice” to play youthful and older variations of themselves.

“We had been going to do The Pocket book collectively,” Clooney mentioned on the time, in accordance with Deadline. “Principally, I used to be going to play him as a younger man, and it was humorous. We met and mentioned, ‘That is it. It’s going to be nice.’ ”

Nonetheless, Clooney later backed out of the thought after he watched a few of Newman’s movies from when he was Clooney’s age, and he did not suppose he might stack up.

“He’s one of many handsomest guys you’ve ever seen. We met up [again] and I mentioned, ‘I can’t play you. I don’t look something such as you. That is insane,’ ” Clooney shared. “We simply wished to do it as a result of we wished to work collectively, [but] it ended up being not the proper factor for us to do.”

Clooney had already asserted himself as a heartthrob on the medical drama ER (1994-1999) and later acted within the hit films From Nightfall Until Daybreak (1996), Three Kings (1999) and the Ocean’s movie sequence (2001-2007). He went on to win an Oscar for the film Syriana in 2005 and obtained nominated for Oscars within the movies Michael Clayton (2007), Up within the Air (2009) and The Descendants (2011).

Hayden Christensen

Earlier than Barry and Cassavetes selected Gosling, they expressed curiosity in Hayden Christensen due to his function as Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader within the Star Wars movie franchise. Earlier than assembly with him, Barry and Cassavetes went to see him in certainly one of their beloved sci-fi movies and determined that they would not be shifting ahead, Barry informed E! Information.

Christensen continued performing within the Star Wars prequel trilogy movies from 2002 to 2005 and likewise acted in Shattered Glass (2003), Awake (2007) and Jumper (2008).

Paul Newman as “older” Noah

Clooney defined in 2020 that he and Newman had been initially in talks to play the older and youthful variations of Noah. Nonetheless, after Clooney backed out, Newman additionally did, and his function went to James Garner.

Newman was an award-winning actor, philanthropist and director for many of his life earlier than he died in 2008 on the age of 83. He gained an Oscar for his function in The Colour of Cash (1986) and obtained nominated for his performances in Cat on a Sizzling Tin Roof (1958), The Hustler (1961), Hud (1963), Cool Hand Luke (1967), Absence of Malice (1981), The Verdict (1982), No one’s Idiot (1994) and Highway to Perdition (2002). On the time of The Pocket book, he was starring in Highway to Perdition, Empire Falls (2005) and the Broadway play Our City (2003).

Lon Hammond

Bradley Cooper

Along with the roles of Allie and Noah, The Pocket book additionally featured the character of Allie’s fiancé Lon Hammond. James Marsden finally scored the function, however Bradley Cooper was additionally up for the job, Barry informed E! Information.

Nonetheless, they finally advocated for Marsden due to his efficiency in X-Males (2000). Barry mentioned of Marsden, “He is simply absolutely the best. Hollywood is filled with dysfunctional individuals and a——- and he isn’t certainly one of them. He was simply implausible.” 

Regardless of not getting the function in The Pocket book, Cooper made his movie debut in Moist Sizzling American Summer season (2001) and later starred in Alias (2001-2006) earlier than rising to fame for his roles in Marriage ceremony Crashers (2005) and The Hangover (2009).