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First, here’s Ariana Grande during one of her earliest auditions for Glinda in Wicked, where she performs “Popular” vs. the final scene from the film:
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And here’s Cynthia Erivo during her audition for Elphaba in Wicked, where she performed “Defying Gravity” vs. the final scene from the film:
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Here’s Pedro Pascal’s self-tape audition for Oberyn Martell in Game of Thrones vs. the final scene in Season 4, Episode 3:
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Here’s Tom Holland during his audition for Peter Parker/Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War vs. a final scene from the movie:
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Here’s Zendaya during her audition for MJ in Spider-Man: Homecoming vs. her in the movie:
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Here’s Vanessa Hudgens and Zac Efron during their chemistry test for Gabriella and Troy in High School Musical vs. the final scene in the movie:
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Here’s Rachel McAdams during her first audition for Allie in The Notebook opposite Ryan Gosling vs. the final scene in the movie:
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Here’s Sam Heughan during his Outlander audition for Jamie vs. the final scene from the second episode of the series:
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And here’s Caitríona Balfe during her chemistry read as Claire alongside Sam Heughan for Outlander vs. the scene from Season 1, Episode 9:
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Here’s Stephanie Hsu during her audition for Joy Wang in Everything Everywhere All at Once vs. the final scene from the film:
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Here’s Miley Cyrus during one of her first auditions for Hannah Montana when she was 12 years old vs. the final scene from the first episode:
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Here’s Selena Gomez during one of her earliest Disney Channel auditions vs. her as Alex Russo in Wizards of Waverly Place:
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Here’s Patrick J. Adams during his audition for Mike Ross in Suits vs. the final scene from the very first episode:
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Here’s Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar Jones during their first chemistry read for Connell and Marianne in Normal People vs. the duo in the final scene in Episode 2:
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Here’s Riley Keough during her first audition for Daisy Jones in Daisy Jones and the Six vs. the final scene in Episode 5:
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Here’s Xolo Maridueña during one of his earliest auditions for Miguel in Cobra Kai vs. the final scene in Season 1, Episode 2:
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Here’s Walker Scobell’s self-tape audition for Percy Jackson in Percy Jackson and the Olympians vs. the final scene in the first episode:
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Here’s Daisy Ridley during her audition for Rey in Star Wars: The Force Awakens vs. the final scene in the movie:
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And finally, here’s Dacre Montgomery during his audition for Billy in Stranger Things vs. the final scene from Season 2, Episode 2:
We can’t fit everyone into one post, so are there any other audition stories (or videos) of actors before they landed their iconic roles? Tell us in the comments below!
