Henry Cavill’s Nerve-Wracking Audition for Patrick Stewart Stayed With Him for Years
Long before Henry Cavill became Superman and Geralt of Rivia, he was a young British actor trying to break through. Like most performers starting out, he went through a string of auditions, near-misses and disappointments that tested his resolve.
His first job was ‘The Count of Monte Cristo’, which he took at 17, and his early credits included supporting parts in ‘Tristan & Isolde’ and ‘Red Riding Hood’, along with a small role in the eighth ‘Hellraiser’ film. Behind those jobs were several big roles that slipped away, a pattern Far Out Magazine recently revisited.
One audition in particular stuck with him. Around 2003, about 3 years into his career, Cavill auditioned for ‘The Lion in Winter’, a TV movie Patrick Stewart was casting, and by his own account, it went terribly.
Cavill opened up about the experience directly to Stewart during their conversation for Variety’s Actors on Actors series. “I was incredibly nervous to audition in front of an actor of your caliber,” he told the ‘Star Trek’ legend.
He said his nerves got the better of him, he forgot his lines, and he left feeling he had blown his chance. “I forgot how to act, and then I left with my tail between my legs,” Cavill recalled.
Rather than giving up, he pushed for another shot. His agent arranged a second audition, which Cavill said went much better, even though it still wasn’t enough to land the part. What made the moment unforgettable wasn’t the rejection but Stewart’s reaction. When Cavill returned for the second audition, Stewart told him he was glad he had come back.
That simple encouragement meant more to the young actor than he could have expected. “That gave me such strength throughout my career, and I’ve never forgotten it,” Cavill told Stewart.
It’s a striking reminder of how a small act of kindness from an established star can shape a newcomer’s confidence. For Cavill, it became a turning point in how he handled setbacks.
‘The Lion in Winter’ was far from Cavill’s only near-miss. He reached the final 2 for the role of James Bond in Martin Campbell’s ‘Casino Royale’, only to lose out to Daniel Craig. He later admitted to Men’s Health that he wasn’t thrilled about missing out on roles like that. He added that rejection was familiar territory from both the acting business and his years at boarding school.
He also came close to playing Superman years before ‘Man of Steel’. Cavill was cast in ‘Superman: Flyby’, a project developed by director McG, but it fell apart when Bryan Singer came aboard, cast Brandon Routh and made ‘Superman Returns’ instead.
Another famous what-if involves ‘Twilight’. According to reports, author Stephenie Meyer had Cavill in mind for Edward Cullen, but by the time the film went into production, he was considered too old to play a teenager, and the role went to Robert Pattinson.
Taken together, these missed opportunities paint a picture of an actor who was repeatedly on the edge of a breakthrough. Each one could have discouraged him, but instead they became part of his story.
Cavill eventually did get to wear the cape, playing Superman in Zack Snyder’s ‘Man of Steel’ about 5 years after the ‘Flyby’ project collapsed. He went on to lead ‘The Witcher’ and became one of the most recognizable stars of his generation.
His story with Stewart shows that even the most painful auditions can leave a positive mark. For an actor who has faced as many close calls as Cavill, that moment of encouragement clearly carried a lot of weight.
Which of Henry Cavill’s famous near-misses would you most like to have seen him star in?
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