Being an actor in Hollywood means dealing with a lot of rejection and still pursuing your passion each and every day. Breaking through is tough, but it’s achievable for those bold enough to venture down this path. All it takes it landing the right role at the right time to completely change everything for a performer, and once it happens, there is simply no looking back.

Vince Vaughn may be famous now, but during the 90s, he was still a small name that wanted to find the role that would help him achieve stardom. Eventually, Vaughn would land an audition for the character Joey Tribbiani on Friends, but as we will soon see, this was not the vehicle to the top for the performer.

Let’s look back and see how close Vince Vaughn came to starring on Friends.

He Auditioned For The Role Of Joey

Finding any sort of footing in the entertainment industry is something that is quite difficult for young performers, and every single one of them is looking for their big break. Back before he was a known comedic performer, Vince Vaughn landed an audition to star on a little show called Friends.

Up to that point, Vaughn had landed some roles in film and on television, but nothing that was going to turn him into a star. According to IMDb, some of his notable credits to the point where Rudy, 21 Jump Street, and Doogie Houser, M.D. Yes these were successful projects during that time, but Vaughn wasn’t making a name for himself with these smaller roles.

Eventually, the folks behind the scenes at Friends would come knocking while they were looking for someone to play Joey Tribbiani on the show. The person landing the role needed to be handsome and funny, and fortunately for Vaughn, he had both of those assets at his disposal. However, things simply would not shake out for the performer.

Casting director Ellie Kanner would open up about Vaughn’s audition, and while he was “handsome and tall” and a “good actor,” he just was not what they were looking for.

Eventually, Vaughn would lose out on the part to the one man capable of making this character an icon of the small screen.

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Matt LeBlanc Got The Part

Matt LeBlanc may not have been a household name when he landed the role of Joey Tribbiani on Friends, but by the time the show came to an end, the entire world knew exactly who he was.

LeBlanc had landed some television roles prior to getting the role of Joey, and he was best known for the character Vinnie, who he played on Top of the Heap, Married...with Children, and Vinnie & Bobby. He had shown what he could do on television in the right role, and once he went through the lengthy process for Joey, he was able to secure the gig that would change his life.

LeBlanc would tell Independent, “Friends', when it came my way, was my fourth TV series - and the other three had failed. I had exactly $11 in my pocket the day I was hired. I had to go back and read for the part of Joey a total of six times. It was far from certain I would get the role.”

Everything was able to work out just fine for Matt LeBlanc, and as for the young Vince Vaughn who missed out on the opportunity of a lifetime, he wound up becoming a huge star in his own right.

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Vaughn Became A Film Star

Missing out on what wound up becoming one of the biggest sitcoms in history must’ve been crushing for Vince Vaughn, but through the years he would be able to thrive on the big screen.

Back in 1997, Vince Vaughn landed a prominent role in the film The Lost World: Jurassic Park, and from there, things would eventually blossom for the performer. Sure, he was not immune from films failing, but once he cemented himself as a top comedic performer, the man was nearly unstoppable at the box office.

Through the years, we have gotten to see Vaughn shine in hit films like Dodgeball, Old School, and Wedding Crashers. Not only that, but Vaughn has also appeared in other smash hit films like Anchorman, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and even Hacksaw Ridge. Because of this, he has managed to remain a relevant movie star for years.

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Friends may have been the opportunity of a lifetime for Vince Vaughn during the 90s, but once the big screen came knocking, he was able to turn himself into a household name in no time.

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