August marks the 25th anniversary of the beloved film “The Princess Diaries,” which introduced audiences to Anne Hathaway’s unforgettable portrayal of Mia Thermopolis.
“I show up [to the audition], and I looked around. There were so many other young actresses there, and I knew all of them. They were all recognizable. And here I am, this nobody walking in,” Hathaway previously revealed about her audition for the iconic role (via Just Jared).
GettyWhile it’s hard to imagine anyone else in the role, Hathaway wasn’t the only actress considered to play the awkward teenager who discovers she’s a princess.
As fans celebrate the film’s milestone anniversary, and with “The Princess Diaries 3” reportedly in the works, here’s a look at six actresses who almost played Mia before Hathaway landed the iconic role.
Scarlett Johansson
GettyIn 2021, producer Debra Martin Chase told Cosmopolitan that Scarlett Johansson auditioned for the role of Mia Thermopolis in “The Princess Diaries.”
“I was cleaning out my garage recently and found the master list of who we auditioned for Mia,” Chase told the outlet. “Scarlett Johansson was on the list.”
Emmy Rossum
GettyAside from Johansson, actress Emmy Rossum was also considered for the role of the teenage princess.
In the same interview with Cosmopolitan, casting director Donna Morong revealed that Rossum was one of their top choices before Hathaway secured the part.
“We considered Emmy Rossum,” Morong added. “Anne Hathaway was not immediately available, but she was on our radar. And it was one of those kismet things. She comes in, and Garry and everyone else fell in love with her.”
January Jones
GettyAside from Johansson and Rossum, actress January Jones also auditioned and considered for the lead role in “The Princess Diaries.”
Liv Tyler
GettyIt’s also been reported that Liv Tyler was one of the frontrunners for the role of Princess Mia. However, when director Garry Marshall’s granddaughters saw Hathaway’s audition tape, they reportedly felt she had the best “princess hair.”
Juliette Lewis
GettyActress Juliette Lewis was reportedly offered the lead role of Mia Thermopolis in “The Princess Diaries,” but turned it down, per The List. The outlet noted that Lewis wanted an “edgier” character, thus giving the role a pass.
At the time of filming, Lewis would have been 27 years old, which reportedly also made it challenging to convincingly portray a high school student.
Christy Carlson Romano
GettyIn 2019, Christy Carlson Romano revealed that she had an audition scheduled for the role of Mia, but ultimately missed it due to her commitments to “Even Stevens.”
“I could not because they kept me at ‘Even Stevens’ and I could not make my audition, so I have a really, really big regret of never making that audition. Who knows what could have happened?” the actress told BuzzFeed.
Other actresses who were also reportedly considered for the iconic role of Mia include Christina Applegate, Cameron Diaz, Alyssa Milano, Eva Mendes, Drew Barrymore, Reese Witherspoon, Alicia Silverstone, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Brittany Murphy, Katie Holmes, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Claire Danes, Kate Hudson, Jessica Biel, and Kirsten Dunst.
