The world of Disney's live-action movies is a competitive one, and not everyone makes the cut. With plenty more live-action Disney remakes on the horizon, the opportunities are open, but the stakes are higher than ever. Many people have tried out for the blockbusters, including Ted Lasso’s Juno Temple, and she had some surprising lessons she learned during the process.
Interview Magazine had The Offer alums Juno Temple, who wrapped up Noah Hawley’s Fargo on our 2024 TV release schedule, and Miles Teller, who will be showing up on our 2025 movie release schedule. The duo covered all things Hollywood; more specifically, how to deal when realizing some roles are just not meant for some actors, and why that’s okay.
Temple shared that she learned that being able to take the ‘nos’ in stride and how it’s helped her grow in her career, particularly for Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland. She said:
I think quite early on in a career, you have to be able to understand why the ‘no’ is happening. Of course, you can’t help but take it personally sometimes. I was 17 when Tim Burton made Alice in Wonderland. I have a first edition copy of Alice in Wonderland that I actually sleep with on my bedside table like it’s the Bible. … But it was a dream role for me. I wanted to play Alice so badly. I remember my agent called, and the first thing he said was, ‘Are you sitting down? We just wanted to tell you that Tim Burton doesn’t think you are right for Alice, so there’s actually not going to be an audition for it.’ I was devastated.
Even with the tough blow, Temple went on to see the movie and realized why Burton didn’t have a space for her in Wonderland. The time, space and final product of a movie all take into specific account who can fill the specific shoes the best, and the Atonement alum realized she wasn’t close to the vision.
Juno Temple also mentioned that she still took her chance with other Disney remakes, including Cinderella, only to continue to realize what was true of the modern Alice. She shared:
I watched the movie. And this was a really important realization for me at 17 years old– I wasn’t right for Alice. I’m the Queen of Hearts. When you see a final product, it always makes sense as to why you were not the fit for that role at that moment in time. I auditioned for a few of those Disney remakes. And it’s like, I’m not Cinderella.
Early on, the 35-year-old found the understanding and grace to accept the rejections, move through understandingly and even offer the name of peers better suited for a role. That’s pretty impressive for a young person in Hollywood, especially since Temple knew she could have acted in the opposite.
I could potentially turn around and say, ‘Fuck you,’ to my stepmom. ‘I’m going to the damn party.’ Sometimes when I’ve read something, I think, ‘Maybe I’m not right for this, but you know who is? I have a really great person that you should meet.’ People have always said that being competitive in this industry is important. And to a degree, it is. But I also think it’s really important to be supportive.
People like Temple are the real royalty of Hollywood–looking for the best ways to be supportive of their peers and the projects themselves. Even if the Disney auditions didn’t go as planned for her, as she promotes the last of the Venom franchise, we've learned she really gained a magical perspective in the process, and people are taking note of her talents now.
