Katie Holmes Nearly Beat Zooey Deschanel for Iconic Elf Role

The beloved holiday classic that launched Zooey Deschanel into stardom almost featured an entirely different actress in the memorable role of Jovie. During a recent appearance on the Call Her Daddy podcast, Deschanel shared the surprising story of how she nearly missed out on what would become her most recognizable performance.

When Deschanel first met with director Jon Favreau, she received unexpected news about the casting process. The filmmaker was refreshingly direct about the situation, telling her upfront that the part had already been offered to someone else.

An Unexpected Opportunity Opens Up

"When I met with Jon Favreau, the director, I walked in and he was like, 'Oh, you don't need to read. We just offered it to Katie Holmes,'" Deschanel remembered. "And I was like, 'Oh, OK, cool.' And he's like, 'Well, sit down and talk for a minute.' I was like, 'OK!'"

Holmes ultimately had to decline the opportunity due to her commitments with Dawson's Creek, which created an opening for Deschanel. The timing worked perfectly, as the production team was already aware of Deschanel's musical abilities from her cabaret performances, which aligned well with their vision for the character.

The Silver Lining of Low Expectations

Interestingly, believing the role was already taken actually helped Deschanel's performance during the meeting. Without the typical audition pressure, she was able to be more relaxed and natural.

"What was great about that was, I wasn't nervous. When you're an actor, you're first starting, and you're auditioning, you get nervous, and you're psyching yourself up. I wasn't nervous at all, because I was like, 'Well, I'm not getting the part.' It was kind of great cause I was not nervous."

From Supporting Player to Breakout Star

Before landing this career-defining role, Deschanel had only appeared in smaller parts in films like Almost Famous and Manic. Her father, renowned cinematographer Caleb Deschanel, had established himself in Hollywood, but Zooey was still building her own reputation in the industry.

The Christmas film became the launching pad for a successful career that included major roles in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, (500) Days of Summer, and eventually the hit television series New Girl, which ran for seven seasons on Fox.

Deschanel's musical talents became a crucial element of the film, with her performances of "Baby It's Cold Outside" and "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" becoming fan favorites. These musical moments weren't originally planned but were incorporated specifically to showcase her vocal abilities, ultimately becoming some of the movie's most memorable scenes.