They didn’t have her at ‘hello’.
Seven months before her sudden death, Anne Heche revealed she almost starred opposite Tom Cruise in the 1996 romantic comedy ‘Jerry Maguire’, even revealing what she thought the gig cost her.
She explained on Tuesday’s episode of the podcast “Behind the Velvet Rope with David Yontef,” which was taped in January, that she was doing a “screen test” for the role of Dorothy Boyd, which eventually went to Renée Zellweger.
According to Heche, she would have insulted the director of the film, Cameron Crowe, during the audition.
“I was like, ‘I don’t understand who she is because he’s not really in love with her. So I don’t understand this movie,'” she recalled. “He didn’t really love her. And she wished he loved her. Bye, no, that makes no sense.”
“And my agent called me after that and said, ‘Are you crazy? Did you just say this movie makes no sense?’ And I said, ‘Yup,’ continued the actress, noting that her agent was quick to tell her she wasn’t getting the part.
“And I’m like, ‘Well, but you can’t do a love story where the guy isn’t really in love with the girl.'”
Heche described himself as a very “logical” person, arguing, “If… [something] makes no sense, I have the power to ask the question and learn.”
However, she said she eventually “learned” to “tame” her emotions and “shut up”. [her] mouth a little. “But that was when I was a little wild kid.”
Not only did “Jerry Maguire” receive incredibly rave reviews from critics and fans alike, but it also grossed over $273 million worldwide.
The film received five Oscar nominations, with Cuba Gooding Jr. Best Supporting Actor and three Golden Globe nominations, with Cruise winning Best Actor.
The success of the film was not lost to Heche.
“Dude. Believe me, I know. Believe me. I know exactly what happened,” she told Yontef.
“These are mistakes I’ve made in my life. They’re things I’m willing to admit in my 12-step program to admit stupid things I’ve done: tell Cameron Crowe his movie doesn’t make sense.”
She said she “never saw Tom Cruise again” but that she wanted to.
The actress drove her car into someone’s home in Los Angeles on August 5. Although her condition was initially said to be stable, she “slipped” into a coma and never woke up. She was pronounced brain dead on August 12.
Her representative confirmed to Vidak For Congress at the time that she had suffered serious brain injuries.
On Sunday she was taken off the ventilator after a match with an organ donor.
The Los Angeles Police Department subsequently dismissed their investigation into Heche, who was allegedly driving under the influence of cocaine when the accident occurred.