TV Star, 56, Says Bizarre ‘ER’ Audition Cost Him Career-Making Role: ‘I Thought I Nailed It’ originally appeared on Parade.
Actor Sam Rockwell, 56, may have all but stolen the show in The White Lotus Season 3, but the versatile star says he once went “too far” in an audition that could have launched him to TV stardom much earlier.
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In a recent Entertainment Tonight roundtable promoting their animated film Bad Guys 2, Rockwell sat down with costars Awkwafina, Anthony Ramos, and Marc Maron. When Crazy Rich Asians scene-stealer Awkwafina, whose real name is Nora Lum, asked the group to share early career auditions they likely bombed, Rockwell jumped in without hesitation.
“ER,” Rockwell confessed. “I was up for ER… Noah Wyle’s part.”
Rockwell then revealed he may have overcommitted to the character of Dr. John Carter by showing up to the audition wearing a lab coat and carrying a fake hypodermic needle.
While the other actors laughed at Rockwell’s humble take on the failed audition, he added, “I thought I nailed it,” only to realize the producers likely thought he was crazy.
The actor was quick to clarify that there was no actual needle attached to the prop syringe. Nonetheless, he admitted the props were probably more off-putting than he had intended.
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Though Rockwell didn’t land the ER role alongside his longtime friend George Clooney, he went on to become one of Hollywood’s most sought-after film and television stars, with credits including Charlie’s Angels, The Green Mile, and Iron Man 2.
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TV Star, 56, Says Bizarre ‘ER’ Audition Cost Him Career-Making Role: ‘I Thought I Nailed It’ first appeared on Parade on Aug 3, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Aug 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
