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Casting revelations from the world of Gossip Girl have surfaced, as casting director David Rapaport disclosed details about actresses considered for the role of a young Lily van der Woodsen in a proposed spinoff series. The role, eventually portrayed by Kelly Rutherford in the original series, was initially piloted with Brittany Snow and Krysten Ritter.
Actresses Considered for Young Lily van der Woodsen
In a recent discussion on the XOXO podcast, David Rapaport, the casting director for Gossip Girl, recounted the search for the actress to portray a younger version of Serena van der Woodsen’s mother, Lily, revealing that several now-prominent actresses were in contention.
Dakota Johnson, Rooney Mara, and Nina Dobrev Auditioned
Rapaport recalled that “Dakota Johnson came in and Rooney Mara, and a lot of other women who are now kind of big names but at the time didn’t have that kind of stature” auditioned for the part.
He highlighted Nina Dobrev’s audition in particular, stating, “you know who did the best read for that? I’ll tell you, because I think you’re friends with Nina Dobrev, that was one of the best auditions I had ever seen, and for that role specifically.”
Nina Dobrev’s Stellar Audition
According to Rapaport, Dobrev’s audition was exceptional. “David said he called the network and told them, ‘She is a super star.'”
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Despite her impressive audition, Dobrev was not ultimately cast due to a perceived lack of resemblance to Kelly Rutherford, the actress who played the older Lily van der Woodsen in Gossip Girl.
Resemblance to Kelly Rutherford a Key Factor
“The issue, however,” Rapaport explained, “as he recalled on the podcast was that ‘she does not look like Kelly Rutherford, because she was supposed to be a young Kelly Rutherford.'”
Even though Dobrev didn’t fit the specific requirement of resembling Rutherford, Rapaport emphasized his strong belief in her talent to network executives.
Championing Nina Dobrev’s Talent
Rapaport stressed to the network the importance of recognizing Dobrev’s potential. “‘and you guys need to find something for her,'” he recounted telling them. “I just remember thinking, ‘I am going to think about this girl in a couple of years and be like, ‘Oh god, I missed that opportunity.’ She was so incredible!'”