Kate Winslet labels Robert Downey Jr’s audition for ‘The Holiday’ as “dreadful”
Nancy Meyers’ festive romantic comedy The Holiday star Kate Winslet has discussed Robert Downey Jr’s failed audition for the beloved Christmas staple.
The actor was in the running to play Graham Simpkins, the role eventually played by Jude Law, who was also the brother of Winslet’s society columnist Iris Simpkins. The relation between the characters necessitated the use of a British accent to ensure they’d be convincing as siblings.
At the time, Downey Jr was still in the early stages of the comeback trial, but despite his undoubted talents as a performer, Winslet has recalled his disastrous audition.
“Robert Downey Jr then did an English accent but I thought it was an Australian accent,” the Academy Award-winner said on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. “I thought, ‘That’s bad. That’s not going to work. Who is going to tell him that sounds dreadful?’”
Fallon was also at the auditions. He reading for the role of Miles Dumont, who was brought to life by Jack Black, and he thought Downey Jr “sounded great.” However, Winslet disagreed by saying “it wasn’t actually that great,” but not without telling the host “that’s sweet of you to have said that.”
The Oppenheimer star previously addressed his failed attempts at trying to get in on The Holiday, revealing that he never believed he was in with a shot at usurping Law to begin with, referring to himself as being there because the Meyers “needed someone to read with the gals.”
It wasn’t too long after The Holiday that Downey Jr. was cast in Iron Man, delivering a shot in the arm to his career, while the rom-com became a firm favourite without him.
Never Miss A Scene
The Far Out Film Newsletter
All the latest film news from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.