Everyone has a story about the one job that got away. Missing out on a career opportunity you wanted so badly that you already mentally decorated your corner office is the absolute worst. But the next time an interview doesn't go your way, just remember even Andrew Garfield missed out on his dream role when he was starting out as an actor.
In a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight, Garfield revealed he auditioned for the titular role in 2008's The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, and as a Narnia fan, a young Garfield really wanted to land the role. Unfortunately, he apparently didn't quite have the look the casting director wanted. Garfield claimed he was dubbed "not handsome enough" for the role, and the poor guy was crushed. Garfield told ET,
"Ben Barnes ultimately got it. Ben Barnes, I'll get ya! No, I really just wanted that part… I think the feedback was 'he's not handsome enough.' What can you do? Hey, I'm not handsome enough for Prince Caspian."
The sting of being passed over for a job you feel you are perfect for is just as real for actors like Garfield as it is for you. Ultimately, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian wasn't the biggest blockbuster (it has a 67 percent fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes), but at the start of his career, Garfield just wanted to be part of a franchise he loved. There is an important lesson here: Missing out on one job is not the end of the world, and in retrospect, it might even be better not to get the gig in the long run.
As you may recall, Garfield's breakout roles came in a pair of critically acclaimed movies released in 2010: The Social Network and Never Let Me Go. If he had been cast as Prince Caspian, it could have altered the direction of his entire career. Without those two movies on his résumé, Garfield may have never landed the role of Spider-Man, or ended up with his two Oscar-worthy performances in Silence and Hacksaw Ridge in 2016.
Just like you desperately wanted that corner office gig, at the time, Garfield wanted nothing more than to play Prince Caspian. It is now apparent everything worked out for the best for Garfield. As much as missed opportunities sting, people tend to end up where they are meant to be in the long run.
Garfield's experience is relatable not only because everyone has missed out on a job, but because missing out on one thing has likely led you to something even better. Whatever your Prince Caspian is, you should never let a setback slow you down. Garfield's thriving career is proof of what you can accomplish when you don't let anything stop you from working toward making your dreams a reality.
