The auditioning process is a mysterious and Byzantine endeavor. The actor or actress stands before a cabal of appraisers and adjudicators in the casting room and give it the old college try. That can include the spilling of guts, the passionate articulation of feelings, the compelling chemistry between actors, brilliant interpretations, and intriguing performances. This is the actors’ charge and the actresses raison d’etre. However, if the humble thespian in question doesn’t get the role, that brilliant moment in the audition room can be gone and lost forever.
That’s why it’s always fun to watch other people’s auditions! Being able to glimpse into the mysteries of casting is not only a delicious indulgence, but it’s also instructive as to what works and what doesn’t within the confines of the casting chamber.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World first hit theaters in 2010, it was hailed as an immediate cult-sensation and a harbinger of things to come. Those accolades were not only about the obvious and apparent technical prowess of a film that blended elements of superhero cinema, classic comic book animation, surreal cinematography, and indie aesthetic; but, it was also because the fresh-faced, charismatic, talented, and enigmatic young cast made such an unprecedented impression on filmgoers throughout the known world.
In the attached Youtube video, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010) Casting tapes, many of the influential film’s auditions are assembled into one prodigious slab of auditioning brilliance. Actors and actresses are often given the sage advice to be genuine during auditions and to take risks, to interpret the material in a unique and interesting fashion, and to “own the room.” Well, those traits and characteristics are on full display in this compelling video, and the actors do a terrific job of being in the moment, as well as letting that inner light shine as bright as the sun.
The casting of the Pilgrim project is a testament to the expertise and prescience of the casting directors involved, as most of the young actors and actresses went on to tremendously successful careers. Indeed, a few became actual superheroes! Chris Evans, who played the Marvel Comics character Human Torch in Fantastic Four (2005) and its 2007 sequel Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, went on to portray Marvel Comics character Steve Rogers, aka Captain America just after Pilgrim. Brie Larson, who plays rock star Envy Adams in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, went on to portray Carol Danvers, otherwise known as Captain Marvel in the Marvel Cinematic Universe superhero film Captain Marvel (2019) which marked Marvel Studios’ first film with a female lead. Brandon Routh, who was cast as the uber-vegan and lactose-sensitive villain Todd Ingram in Scott Pilgrim, portrayed the one and only Clark Kent in 2006’s Superman Returns. Even after playing Superman, Brandon had to audition for Scott Pilgrim as the role differed greatly from the Man of Steel. And after Pilgrim blew up, he went on to play another superhero, The Atom, on The CW’s Arrow. And Mary Elizabeth Winstead, who co-starred opposite Michael Cera in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, went on to play Huntress in the Warner Bros. film Birds of Prey. Sadly, Winstead’s audition is not included in the attached video, presumably because she was director Edgar Wright’s first choice right from the start.
There are other notable auditions included in the audition tapes YouTube video which appear to be ripped from the Scott Pilgrim vs. the World Blu-ray combo pack on sale at Amazon, including a pre-Pitch Perfect Anna Kendrick, Aubrey Plaza being full-on Aubrey Plaza, and Green Room’s Mark Webber hamming it up supreme.
Watch and enjoy!
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