20 Audition Nightmares: Actors Share Their Wildest Casting Experiences

Applying for any job requires preparation, skill, and execution. Punctuality, reading the room to meet the interviewer’s expectations, and managing emotions are all part of the process. The same holds true for acting auditions.

While some actors are “discovered” for their raw talent, most must compete against countless hopefuls for a role. Recently, people online shared their wildest audition experiences. We’ve gathered the most interesting, unhinged, and chaotic stories for you—check them out in the gallery below.

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This didn’t happen in an audition room, but—

I once had a self-tape where my character was dramatically chopping her hair to prove a point. I had carefully blocked the scene, miming the motion by snipping several inches in front of my actual hair—well out of harm’s way.

But on one take, I got too close. I sliced straight through the middle of my hair, taking off a huge chunk. Now I have a video of the moment to laugh (and cry) over forever.

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I wanted to try something new, so I auditioned for an improv theater show where we’d be interacting with the audience. The moment I walked in, though, things went 👎🏽.

I was wearing platform Dr. Martens, and as I stepped down onto the stage, my heel got caughtv sending me tripping in front of everyone watching my audition. All I heard was a collective “oop!” from the room.

Then I messed up my monologue but powered through. To top it off, they placed a chair in front of me and told me to deliver my monologue to it. I hope the chair truly felt my passion.

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I actually peed myself during A Christmas Carol. A week before tech rehearsals, I developed a lovely little bladder issue. To make things even better, I was wearing a dress. So that was… delightful.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that bodily malfunctions on stage are a fast track to overcoming stage fright. No fear left when you’ve already lived that moment!

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I’ve got one more. I auditioned for a hugely popular sitcom where two middle-aged actresses were playing twenty-somethings. I made it through every round casting director, director, producers, even the studio! I had my dream car picked out and was already browsing apartment listings.

Then came the final audition: a videotaped read with the actresses. I should mention I was 23 but still got carded constantly because I looked about 17.

One actress walked on stage, took one look at me, and started giggling. She put her arm around me and said, “Sorry, kid.” Then the other walked in, stopped dead, and screeched, “Are you f**ing kidding me? He could play my son!”* before storming off.

And just like that… no job. Again.

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Group audition for community theatre. The musical director handed out sheet music, taught us a song, and then split the women into sopranos and altos by literally dividing the group down the middle. No vocal tests just “you stand here, you’re a soprano now.”

I ended up with the sopranos. When I told them I was an alto and couldn’t sing that high, they just waved it off with a cheerful “Don’t worry, it’ll be fine!”

It was not fine. I mouthed the entire song.

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One time, I had been sick and chugged a Gatorade right before my audition. I guess the sugar rush really hit because I went in feeling extra hyped.

Halfway through, the casting director straight-up asked me if I was drunk. (I wasn’t—I was just hyper and nervous!)

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As someone who’s been on the judging side of auditions over 100 times, I can confidently say almost nobody’s audition is as bad as they think. I get that people are nervous, maybe their song was rushed in rehearsal, or they didn’t get the perfect warm-up. A lyric flub that mortifies you? I probably just shrug it off.

The truly terrible auditions usually come from people who lack self-awareness who wouldn’t even answer a question like this. It’s either people who think they’re incredible but… aren’t, or those who present themselves in bizarre ways. I’m talking wildly inappropriate outfits, strange comments, or song choices so out of place they feel like time travel. Not just classic Broadway for a rock musical I mean someone showing up and singing something from the 16th century.

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In New York, I was running late for an audition several long blocks away from the nearest train. The subway stalled, so I sprinted up the stairs, grabbed a Citibike (I had joined the bike share specifically for moments like this), and pedaled furiously into the wind.

When I reached the closest return rack still a couple of blocks away there was only one “available” dock… but it had a cover that said OUT OF ORDER. The next nearest dock was several blocks in the wrong direction. If I left the bike unattended and someone took it, I’d be on the hook financially. I briefly considered dragging it into the audition office but instead ripped the cover off the dock, shoved the bike in, and hoped for the best.

I ran across the street, down the block, up two flights of stairs sweating, out of breath, already five minutes late. I signed in, thinking I’d have a second to collect myself and review my sides. Nope. Before my butt even hit the chair, they called my name.

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I had a callback for Elle in a university production of Legally Blonde. One problem: I can’t belt for s**t. The callback song? So Much Better.

I pushed my voice the entire time, completely unsuccessfully. It sounded awful. I don’t even remember if I laughed or cried when I got home probably both.

Somehow, I still got cast in a smaller role that I’d played before. Later, an acquaintance from the casting panel told me, “You were the best actor there, but we were SO disappointed in your singing. We almost didn’t give you a part.”

#10

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During my first pilot season in mid-February, I had seven auditions in a week each over 10 pages. It was originally six, but one got added last minute. I had no time for a coach, barely any time to prepare, and zero familiarity with the creative team’s previous work.

The night before, I rushed through a quick script breakdown without actually reading the breakdown and saw all the structural elements of a single-camera comedy. Cool. I prepped accordingly.

Nope. It was a heavy drama just one with a ridiculous logline.

Then, while rushing from an audition in Culver City to another in Burbank, my agent’s frantic assistant called to inform me… I had prepared the wrong character. At that point, I should have canceled. But instead, I powered through and made bold, broad comedic choices, thinking I was playing an “in her own universe” character when I was actually supposed to be the “logical, smart one/straight girl.”

To make things even worse, the showrunner was right there in the room.

When I finished, the casting director just stared blankly. The reader was visibly trying not to double over laughing. And the showrunner? He thought I had just mocked his script. I don’t think I’ve ever seen eyes that cold.

No notes. No redirect. No nothing. Just “buh-bye.”

Newbies today complaining about last-minute self-tapes have no idea.

Oh, and that show? Never got picked up.

#11

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In ninth grade, I auditioned for How to Succeed at my high school. I barely practiced, didn’t know anyone, and showed up on crutches (I have arthritis and couldn’t walk properly at the time).

Halfway through my song, a timer went off on my phone. I scrambled to turn it off and tried again, but by then, I was in tears just an anxious high school freshman having an awful audition.

Afterward, the director came out and announced that dance auditions would be the next day. I walked out, called my dad, and broke down. I couldn’t even finish my audition how was I supposed to dance when I could barely stand?

Fast forward five years: I’m playing Hotspur in my college’s (non-musical, obviously) production of Henry IV, Part 1! It’s my first non-tech role, and I’m overjoyed—especially because it’s Shakespeare! Many of my castmates are also disabled, and our director makes sure we don’t overdo it. I’ve never felt so seen and respected in a production.

#12

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I once did a commercial audition where I had to dance… and completely split my pants.

Honestly? I wasn’t even that embarrassed I thought it was hilarious.

I did not get the part.

#13

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I was only ever in one show, many many years ago.

I went to a small 2-year college. I was in choir, just for fun. One day the head of the theater department came in and said they had decided to do The Pirates of Penzance for their fall production. Since the theater department was very small and it was more musically difficult than the musicals they had done before, they weren’t sure if the theater kids were strong enough singers to pull it off, so they were asking if any of us wanted to audition. He said he didn’t care if we could dance or act, they just needed singers to round out the chorus.

I certainly can’t act and can’t dance, but I had the time and I love the theater, so I decided to go to tryouts. For whatever reason (I don’t know how these things work, but I thought I would only need to sing to try out for the chorus), they wanted everyone to do every part of the tryouts, including learning a simple tap routine that the policemen were going to do at one point. I did so badly at it I fell over right at the edge of the stage, and managed to fall off the stage as I tried to get back up. I was still allowed to play one of the bevy of daughters. It was a wonderful experience, but never again.

#14

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I once had a casting director look at me and blurt out, “You’re a dude?!”—right in front of the director and everyone else in the room.

LOL.

At the time, it was a bit embarrassing. I know I look androgynous, but having a casting director make that mistake? Pretty unreal. Caught me totally off guard!

#15

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Before the audition, someone asked for feet photos and if I was ticklish.

So yeah… there was no audition.

#16

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I once sang a charming little uptempo jazz song, feeling good about my performance.

Then the director said, “Sing it again, but this time, imagine your significant other is a soldier at war… and you just found out they died in combat.”

So that took a turn.

#17

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I performed a monologue about someone struggling with the fact that they weren’t grieving their parent’s death in a traditional way.

Then they asked me to do it again but as if I were insanely happy about it.

Auditioners ask for stuff like this to see if you can adapt to their vision, not because they secretly want you to be a vampire.

(…Or maybe they do, in very specific cases. LOL.)

#18

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For my first show, the director gave this big speech about standing out and making the scene our own. Then we got the script there was a moment where a character drinks a potion and gains superstrength.

Auditions were held in a classroom, so I thought, Hey, I’ll pick up a chair to really sell it! I even practiced beforehand.

…Then, during the actual audition, I dropped the chair.

I only got a tiny part, but later, I became friends with the student director, who told me that moment was actually one of the main reasons I got cast at all.

So… I guess it kind of worked?

#19

Image source: cutearmy, Getty Images / unsplash

My very first audition: I sang my two songs, thanked them, and left.

Then I got a nasty email scathing, really telling me how dare I waste their time with my “horrible” voice and that I had been blacklisted from ever auditioning again.

Since then, I’ve performed in two operas and three operettas with other companies. It’s been over 20 years, but I will never work with them.

#20