Throughout her career, Shailene has been linked to a number of projects – some of which she has auditioned for, others have still yet to make it out of the development stages. Using reliable sources, we have put together a list of all the currently known films and roles that she missed out on or turned down. If you have any further information for us to add to this page, please don’t hesitate to contact us!

I Am Sam (2001)

Proposed role: Lucy (portrayed by Dakota Fanning)
Status: Auditioned
Directed by: Jessie Nelson
Source: The Hollywood Reporter

Along the way, she had her share of disappointments, like losing out to Dakota Fanning for the drama I Am Sam at age 9. Recalls Woodley: “My dad pulled me aside, and he said: ‘Shai, what are you doing? You have so much anger, and you’re feeling so let down by the fact that you didn’t book [this]. I want you to close your eyes right now and picture this Dakota girl, and I want you to send her so much love and so much light because one day you’re going to book something that you really want, and you’re not going to want all of the girls around you that you competed against to feel anger against you.

A Thousand Words or Less (In development)

Proposed role: –
Status: Linked to project in 2011
Directed by: Bert V. Royal
Source: IndieWire

The premise is quite simple, centering on “a national essay competition that sends three ambitious teenagers into a sexy game of one-upmanship.” One of those sexy contestants will likely be played by The Secret Life Of The American Teenager star Shailene Woodley. The actress is already familiar around Fox Searchlight offices for her turn in Alexander Payne‘s upcoming The Descendants and they are likely impressed her turn there, seeking her out for a role in this film.

The Hunger Games (2012)

Proposed role: Katniss (portrayed by Jennifer Lawrence)
Status: Auditioned
Directed by: Francis Lawrence
Source: The Independent

Woodley began acting when she was four years old and spent five years on the US TV series The Secret Life of the American Teenager. Having auditioned for Katniss in The Hunger Games, curiously she almost turned down the offer to play Divergent’s heroine Tris. On its release in America last weekend, it trounced Muppets Most Wanted to earn $56m (£34m).

Carrie (2013)

Proposed role: Carrie (portrayed by Chloë Grace Moretz)
Status: Turned down role
Directed by: Kimberly Pierce
Source: New York Magazine

These two sit at the top of a list of candidates that has included such young up-and-comers as Dakota Fanning (all growed up and, lately, a Volturi in Twilight), Emily Browning (Sucker Punch), Bella Heathcote (In Time), and Lily Collins (Mirror Mirror), who have all read for Peirce. We also hear that earlier this week, The Descendants’ Shailene Woodley passed on an offer from MGM to take the title role.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)

Proposed role: Mary Jane Watson
Status: Role cut in post-production
Directed by: Marc Webb
Source: The Hollywood Reporter

Shailene Woodley will not appear in Sony’s The Amazing Spider-Man 2, and neither will her character, Mary Jane Watson, THR has confirmed. Woodley’s appearance in Spider-Man 2 always was intended to be brief – the actress only worked three days and shot around three scenes – but sources say director Marc Webb decided to streamline the story.

Fifty Shades of Grey (2015)

Proposed role: Anastasia Steele (portrayed by Dakota Johnson)
Status: Turned down role
Directed by: Sam Taylor-Johnson
Source: The Hollywood Reporter

Shailene Woodley was an early favorite of James, who was heavily involved in the search, but even though Woodley wasn’t afraid of the nudity in the film’s explicit sex scenes, she has conflicting press obligations for the would-be franchise Divergent, which opens March 21. Universal and Focus want to begin shooting in late October in Vancouver or Los Angeles, with a release date of Aug. 1, 2014.

Room (2015)

Proposed role: Ma / Joy Newsome (portrayed by Brie Larson)
Status: Auditioned
Directed by: Lenny Abrahamson
Source: The Hollywood Reporter

Emma Donoghue, the writer of the best-selling book and the screenplay for Room, says that when the novel came out, every young actress in Hollywood wanted to play the part of Ma, the young kidnapping victim locked in a shed with her young son (including Rooney Mara, Mia Wasikowska, Emma Watson and Larson’s close friend Shailene Woodley).

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)

Proposed role: Rey (portrayed by Daisy Ridley)
Status: Auditioned
Directed by: J.J. Abrams
Source: Marie Claire

Daisy Ridley has come a long way already in her short career. Born in West London, she only had a few credits to her name before she nabbed the most coveted role in Hollywood. You may recognise her from TV, having starred in Youngers, Toast of London and Mr. Selfridges (above). It took her only two years of bit parts before she nabbed Star Wars over seasoned veterans like Elizabeth Olsen and Shailene Woodley.

Tomorrowland (2015)

Proposed role: Casey Newton (portrayed by Britt Robertson)
Status: Turned down role
Directed by: Brad Bird
Source: ELLE

At the same time Woodley was offered the Divergent series, she was offered, and turned down, a chance to act with George Clooney again, in Tomorrowland. Clooney, known for not suffering fools, became a sensei of sorts to the young actress.