Yes, they do. Even the biggest stars show up for auditions, and they still have to compete with other talented actors. If a role is deemed important enough, the producers will want to make sure they find the best person for it.

That means they’ll often cast big-name actors who are already famous and already have a track record of having done good work in similar roles. But it also means that even when an actor is highly sought after and well known, he or she may still have to audition for certain roles.

The most obvious example of this is Robert Downey Jr., who was struggling with drug addiction in the early 2000s when he auditioned for Iron Man. He hadn’t yet found success with his portrayal of Tony Stark/Iron Man in 2008’s Iron Man, but he landed the role anyway — thanks largely to his talent and charisma as an actor. He went on to become one of Hollywood’s most sought after talents, appearing in multiple hit franchises including Sherlock Holmes and The Avengers.

Another example is James Franco, who was nominated for an Oscar for his performance as James Dean in 2001’s biopic James Dean.

Last modified: November 17, 2022