A House Of The Dragon Star Lost A Key Role In The Star Wars Sequel Trilogy

Being in a "Star Wars" movie would probably be the biggest deal in just about any actor's career. Olivia Cooke had the opportunity to take on that life-changing opportunity, but it didn't quite pan out. Cooke is best known now for her role as Alicent Hightower in the "Game of Thrones" spin-off "House of the Dragon" (a role she wasn't even sure she wanted to win), but had things gone another way, she could have been known as Rey.

During a recent interview on the "Happy Sad Confused" podcast, Cooke denied that she was ever in the running to play Rose in "Star Wars: The Last Jedi," but confirmed she did indeed audition for the role of Rey in director J.J. Abrams' "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," which was released in 2015. "I did audition a few times for the other one, where Daisy Ridley got [it]. But you know, everyone and their dog auditioned for that."

It's true that a lot of actors auditioned for "The Force Awakens." It was Disney's first "Star Wars" movie after purchasing Lucasfilm for $4 billion. It was also the first movie in the franchise to arrive since 2005's "Revenge of the Sith." There was a lot riding on it. Eventual Oscar-winner Brie Larson auditioned for all of the new "Star Wars" movies, as did many other actresses who were hoping to join a galaxy far, far away.

Cooke further revealed that her audition didn't exactly go well, which is why she didn't get the part.

"I think I auditioned once in L.A., and then once with J.J. [Abrams]. And I was s***. I was really bad ... You know when you go into an audition, and you're just not bringing it and you've let yourself down, you've let everyone down in the room?"

Ultimately, the role went to Daisy Ridley, who was then largely unknown. At the time, Olivia Cooke was also not terribly well known, as her breakout Sundance smash "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl" had yet to come out. That hit theaters in 2015 as well, so Cooke did fit the bill as an actress who could have played Rey without bringing a lot of pre-existing baggage to the role. But Cooke believes Disney and Lucasfilm made the right call.

"Daisy did such an amazing job. I just wasn't that kind of an actor at that time. It just wasn't a fit," Cooke concluded.

"Yellowjackets" star Courtney Eaton was also almost Rey in "Star Wars." Again, to Cooke's point, the list of people who were in the mix for these parts at the time was long. For Cooke, it would have completely changed her career trajectory. Whether or not that would have been for the better is hard to say, but the actress personally doesn't seem to feel like it would have been the right thing for her at the time.

After "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl," Cooke had a run in the "Psycho" prequel series "Bates Motel." She also starred in "Ready Player One," which remains one of Steven Spielberg's biggest box office hits. Some of her other pre-"House of the Dragon" credits include "Sound of Metal," "Thoroughbreds," and the first season of "Slow Horses." She's undoubtedly had an enviable career.

Meanwhile, Ridley is now and will forever be known as Rey. Ridley is currently attached to return as the character in a "Star Wars" movie about a New Jedi Order that will see Rey training a new generation of Jedi.

"House of the Dragon" is streaming now on HBO Max.