These Are The Actresses Who Almost Starred In Scream

It's not unusual for an actor to pass on a role, and only if the film goes on to become a big hit will we ever hear about what might have been. One famous example of that is how Emily Blunt passed on playing Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow, with the role, of course, going to Scarlett Johansson. Fortunately, things worked out for both of actors as Blunt went on to star in such blockbusters as "Edge of Tomorrow" and the "Quiet Place" films, while Black Widow became a pivotal character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and catapulted Johansson into superstardom.

Thanks to her star-making role she filmed at age six for the 1982 classic "E.T. the Extraterrestrial," Drew Barrymore was already a well-established actor when the opportunity to work with director Wes Craven on "Scream" came along 14 years later. Barrymore was originally cast in the lead role of Sidney Prescott in screenwriter's Kevin Williamson's satirical take on the slasher horror genre, but was forced to drop out of the role five weeks before production because of scheduling conflicts (via Digital Spy).

Staying attached to the project, Barrymore took on the much smaller role of Casey Becker, which led to a genius idea. Since Barrymore was the perceived star of the film who was featured front and center on the "Scream" movie poster, it was a shock to audiences that she fell victim to the Ghostface killer in the opening scene. As such, there was no telling which character would be next despite the stature of the actor playing them.

However, when Barrymore dropped out of the lead role in "Scream," it created another quandary: Craven would have to find another actor to play Sidney in short order.

With Barrymore taking on a much smaller — albeit important — role, casting directors were scrambling to fill the role of Sidney. According to Digital Spy, among the notable actors who auditioned were Melissa Joan Hart and Brittany Murphy. Tori Spelling and Reese Witherspoon were also considered. Even though the offer came early in Witherspoon's career, she reportedly had no interest in doing a horror film. 

Eventually the production cast then-"Party of Five" star Neve Campbell in the role of Sidney, who, unlike many characters in the "Scream" franchise, survived the first film and the six sequels that followed (although she sat out "Scream VI") from 1997 to 2026. Fans will find out if luck is still on Sidney's side if and when an eighth film in the franchise — which is reportedly in development — sees the light of day.