Drew Barrymore Says She Passed on ‘Boogie Nights’ Role to Star in ‘Ever After’

Drew Barrymore went in a different direction in the ’90s, as the long-time star has now confirmed that she once opted to play Cinderella instead of a porn star. The actress recently shared on an episode of her eponymous talk show “The Drew Barrymore Show” (via The Hollywood Reporter) that she did in fact turn down a role in “Boogie Nights.” Barrymore has long been rumored to have been considered for the Rollergirl part, which later went to Heather Graham.

“It’s so hard when you, like, are thinking of doing a film and then you don’t end up doing it,” Barrymore said. “I have so many of those experiences. I’ve never said this out loud, ‘Boogie Nights.’ There was a moment where we were talking about ‘Boogie Nights’ and I think it’s when I went and did ‘Ever After’ [‘A Cinderella Story’] and I went in a very different direction.”

More from IndieWire

• Nicole Kidman Shredded the 'Eyes Wide Shut' Script After Production Wrapped: 'It Feels Like Baggage'

• Is Caitlin Cronenberg Entering the Family Business with 'Humane'?: 'We Would Need a Therapist to Weigh in'

“Ever After” was released in 1998 and co-starred Melanie Lynskey and Angelica Huston. The “Cinderella” reimagining helped kickstart Barrymore’s rom-com era, with “The Wedding Singer” (1998) and “Never Been Kissed” (1999) released soon thereafter.

Meanwhile, “Boogie Nights” was written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, with Mark Wahlberg, Julianne Moore, Burt Reynolds, Philip Seymour Hoffman, William H. Macy, and more stars as part of the ensemble cast. The lauded feature was set in the San Fernando Valley during the 1970s erotic film industry boom.

Actress Graham later recalled being “so nervous” about her role in the feature, specifically when it came to her nude scene. “That was my first time [doing a nude scene], and I was so nervous about it. But at that point in my career I was also like, ‘Beggars can’t be choosers,’” Graham told Yahoo!. “It was a great script and Paul [Thomas Anderson] was an amazing talent. I had a great time making that movie even though it was terrifying doing a nude scene.”

Lead actor Wahlberg, whose turn in the feature was a breakout role, admitted that he was also hesitant to board the feature. “When I first heard about the film, the subject matter was not appealing to me,” Wahlberg told Cigar Aficionado. “I came from the whole Marky Mark thing, pulling down my pants, Calvin Klein underwear — I didn’t know if this was just the next level of exploiting me and now all of a sudden we have to lose the underwear.”

Wahlberg continued, “My agents kept pushing me. So I read the first 25, 30 pages, and I kind of put it down. I was like this could be something great, or this could be absolutely terrible.”

Best of IndieWire

• The Best LGBTQ Movies and TV Shows Streaming on Netflix Right Now

• Guillermo del Toro's Favorite Movies: 54 Films the Director Wants You to See

• Nicolas Winding Refn's Favorite Films: 37 Movies the Director Wants You to See

Sign up for Indiewire's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.