Ever since Once Upon a Time in Hollywood came out in 2019, it’s been regarded as one of Margot Robbie’s best movies. Her portrayal of Sharon Tate is beloved; the film overall is widely acclaimed. However, before the Barbie star was cast, it had been reported that Quentin Tarantino was also considering Jennifer Lawrence for the role. Although she claimed that she didn’t land it because people thought she was “not pretty enough” for it. Now, some old details have resurfaced that add some context to this story.
What Jennifer Lawrence Said About Not Getting Cast In Once Upon A Time In Hollywood
It was mentioned that Quentin Tarantino has been “chasing” Jennifer Lawrence and wanting her in one of his movies during an interview on Happy Sad Confused. The host, Josh Horowitz, asked the actress about getting offered The Hateful Eight, and she noted that she should not have turned it down. The interviewer also asked if the director reached out about Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and the Sharon Tate role that Robbie ultimately got. In response, The Hunger Games star said:
Well, he did [want to cast me], and then everybody was like, ‘She’s not pretty enough to play Sharon Tate.’ And then they didn’t.
After she said that, the crowd gasped, and Horowitz said, “That’s not true.” However, Lawrence kind of doubled down on the claim, saying:
I’m pretty sure it is true. Or it’s that thing where I’ve been telling the story this way for so long that I believe it. I’m pretty sure that happened, or he just never was considering me for the part, and the internet just went out of their way to call me ugly.
Now, it’s worth noting that Lawrence never said Tarantino called her these things. According to her, the discourse on the internet regarding her looks may have added to why she didn’t end up in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Well, some old quotes have emerged from around this time, and it turns out that Debra Tate did make a comment like the one the Oscar winner was referring to.
What Debra Tate Said About Jennifer Lawrence And Margot Robbie
Back in 2017, before casting was confirmed for what would become one of Tarantino’s best movies, Sharon Tate’s sister, Debra Tate, was asked about both Robbie and Lawrence being considered for the gig. TMZ specifically asked which of the two was her “favorite.” In response, Debra Tate said:
They’re both extremely accomplished actresses, but I would have to say my pick would be Margot. Simply because of her physical beauty, and the way she even carries herself, is similar to that of Sharon. I don’t think as much about Jennifer Lawrence, not that I have anything against her. But she, I don’t know, she’s not pretty enough to play Sharon. That’s a horrible thing to say, but, you know, I have my standards.
Debra Tate went on to say that “physical beauty wouldn’t be so important” if her sister’s “public life” wasn’t defined by her looks.
While it’s not confirmed if this is why Lawrence didn’t get the part. It is true that Sharon Tate’s sister made a comment about her not being pretty enough for it.
According to Margot Robbie, when she was in talks for the character, she wrote to Tarantino about how much she wanted to work with him. And as casting for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood got underway, it was widely reported that she was in talks with the director.
Also, in 2021, Quentin Tarantino said that he was considering Lawrence for the part of Squeaky Fromme, who ended up being played by Dakota Fanning, on the WTF podcast. He said the Die My Love actress was interested in the role; however, "it didn't work out."
Overall, no matter which roles they were considered for, both actresses were very successful stars at the time, and they’re both still doing great. After 2019, Margot Robbie went on to make movies like The Suicide Squad, Barbie and Babylon. Meanwhile, Jennifer Lawrence went on to work with Leonardo DiCaprio in Don’t Look Up and starred in movies like No Hard Feelings and Die My Love.
