Jennifer Lawrence’s Career Could Have Been Completely Different: The Three Iconic Roles She Was Rejected For

Jennifer Lawrence is undoubtedly one of Hollywood’s brightest stars, known for her versatile acting talent and a string of accolades that include an Academy Award, three Golden Globe wins, and starring roles in two multi-billion-dollar franchises. However, like many successful actors, Lawrence’s rise to stardom wasn’t a straightforward path. Along the way, she auditioned for a number of high-profile roles, some of which she was ultimately rejected for. These missed opportunities, however, did not derail her career—in fact, they might have even shaped her journey to becoming one of the most sought-after actresses in Hollywood today.

1. Twilight – Bella Swan

Perhaps one of the most well-known missed opportunities in Lawrence’s career was her audition for the iconic role of Bella Swan in the Twilight saga. The role, of course, went to Kristen Stewart, who went on to achieve global fame as the moody teen caught in a love triangle with a vampire and a werewolf. Lawrence, who was still relatively unknown at the time, auditioned for Bella but was rejected almost immediately.

In a conversation on The Rewatchables podcast, Lawrence recounted the experience, stating, “I auditioned for Twilight, they turned me down immediately. I didn’t even get a call back.” While she didn’t expect to land the part, Lawrence acknowledged that it would have altered the course of her career. “My life would have been totally different,” she said. Interestingly, Lawrence went on to land the role of Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games a year later, a franchise that would change her life in ways Twilight never could have.

2. Superbad – Jules

Before The Hunger Games and X-Men, Lawrence was eyeing another big role—Jules, the quirky love interest in the cult classic Superbad. That role ultimately went to Emma Stone, who, ironically, would become one of Lawrence’s closest friends in Hollywood. While the part of Jules wasn’t a breakout role in the traditional sense, it was a significant stepping stone in Stone’s career, helping her transition from a rising star to a major player in Hollywood.

Looking back, Lawrence reflects on the experience with a sense of camaraderie and humor, acknowledging that even though she didn’t land the role, it helped propel Stone into a position where she could go on to achieve great success. The two actresses have since forged a strong friendship, and Lawrence seems to have no regrets about how things turned out.

3. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – Lisbeth Salander

Another highly coveted role that Lawrence auditioned for was that of Lisbeth Salander in David Fincher’s remake of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. The film, based on the best-selling novel by Stieg Larsson, required an actress capable of portraying the complex, dark, and rebellious hacker. While Lawrence certainly had the talent to take on the role, she ultimately didn’t make it to the final stages of casting.

Rooney Mara, who secured the role, went on to deliver a critically acclaimed performance, earning a Best Actress nomination at the Academy Awards. Mara beat out a number of notable actresses, including Lawrence, Sophie Lowe, Sarah Snook, and Léa Seydoux, with the role ultimately becoming the first in what was planned to be a trilogy—a plan that was abandoned after the film’s underperformance at the box office.

What If?

While Jennifer Lawrence’s career could have taken a completely different direction had she been cast in any of these roles, it’s clear that her eventual path to stardom was carefully curated by a combination of luck, timing, and talent. After making a name for herself in Winter’s Bone, she found herself at the forefront of two of the biggest film franchises of the decade—X-Men and The Hunger Games. These roles solidified her status as a global superstar and allowed her to take on a variety of different projects, from dramas to action films.

In hindsight, Lawrence admits that being part of Twilight or Superbad would have likely limited her career choices. She reflected on how she intentionally chose to balance franchise work with more character-driven dramas, stating, “I was actively trying to counteract the franchise-ness,” and that it wouldn’t have been possible “if I was in Twilight.”

Her reflections also speak to the weight of her decision to take on the role of Katniss Everdeen. Although The Hunger Games was a massive global phenomenon, Lawrence initially hesitated due to the prospect of experiencing a “Twilight-level of fame” and the commitment that would come with being tied to a franchise for several years. In the end, she chose to embrace the role, and it became one of the defining roles of her career.

A Career Defined by Choice

Jennifer Lawrence’s journey shows that rejection, while painful, is not the end of the road. Instead, it’s often the catalyst for greater success, as each audition and missed opportunity ultimately shaped the actress into the powerhouse she is today. While she may have been rejected for Twilight, Superbad, and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, these missed chances didn’t stop her—they simply opened the door for even more iconic roles.

With her stellar career trajectory, it’s clear that Jennifer Lawrence’s future continues to shine brightly. Looking back on those early rejections only underscores the fact that sometimes, the roles you miss can be just as important as the ones you get.