It’s no secret. Whether you act or not, the entertainment industry is a tough place. From the fierce competition to constant rejection, every step tests your passion and perseverance. But imagine being turned away not because of talent, but simply because you don’t fit a certain look or stereotype. Desperate Housewives alum Jesse Metcalfe experienced this firsthand when he auditioned for a role on The Vampire Diaries.
Metcalfe was a guest on a recent episode of Tori Spelling’s podcast, misSPELLING. During their conversation, Spelling referred to Metcalfe as a “good guy” in a friendly way. She also made a lighthearted joke suggesting that Metcalfe would have been a good fit to play the character Jacob (Taylor Lautner) in the Twilight movies. If you didn't know, Jacob was a werewolf in the Twilight films.
Spelling's joke then reminded Metcalfe of when he tried to get a role as a vampire on the popular CW series The Vampire Diaries. He shared that during his audition process, a high-ranking executive at The CW told him he could never be cast as a vampire because he had "too nice of a face.”
Everyone knows that vampires in films and shows typically have a dark, mysterious, or even menacing look. Apparently, the higher-up at The CW didn’t see Metcalfe fitting that image, which ultimately kept him from landing the role. Metcalfe then goes on to insist that despite what The CW exec said, he’s not actually as nice as he looks, claiming he has “a lot of edge” beneath the surface.
Honestly, it's somewhat surprising that The CW turned him away. Sure, many people know Metcalfe as a teen heartthrob. He earned that status when he starred as the titular character in the teen comedy flick John Tucker Must Die. However, he's not only a charming face. He's proven himself capable of taking on more serious and diverse roles throughout his career. Do you remember the action films Hard Kill and Fortress? Those roles showed a tougher, more intense side of Metcalfe that definitely contrasts with the “too nice” label he was given.
And let's be honest. Were the vampires in The Vampire Diaries really that dark and intimidating? Not really. If my memory serves correctly, fans were gushing over how good-looking Paul Wesley and Ian Somerhalder looked in the series as vampires. That said, Metcalfe could have easily fit in.
Metcalfe has a couple of new projects he's working on. You can catch him in the upcoming movies Boris Is Dead and The Possession at Gladstone Manor.
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