Comedian Jenny Slate (Obvious Child, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On) has a new stand-up special out on Prime Video by the name of Seasoned Professional. The special is, as is usually the case when it comes to anything starring or written by Jenny Slate, hilarious and deeply personal, well worth your time if you're a standup comedy fan. But that's not why we're talking about Seasoned Professional today here at FANGORIA.
This is:
Yes, according to Slate, her reps once sent her an invitation to audition for the role of Pennywise in Andy Muschietti's It. Those of you who were following that film as it worked its way through production will recall that it was originally set to be helmed by Cary Fukunaga, who eventually bailed on the project following creative differences with Warner Bros. Andy Muschietti then took the reins on the project, reworking the script and getting his own cast in place. At the time, a wide net was cast for the role of Pennywise, and it appears that Slate was one of the names caught up in that net.
Meanwhile, in a recent interview over at The Hollywood Reporter, Slate elaborates on the bit above with the following story:
"I remember getting the email, and I was embarrassed! And, as the years went by, I felt angry. The people who represent you shouldn’t just be pushing you along. They should be encouraging you and considering you specifically. Maybe it was a careless mistake? But it wasn’t even an offer! (Laughs.) That’s what’s so sad. It would’ve been cool if they were like, 'We have a fully formed vision and it’s you!' What I assumed they were thinking was, 'Let’s see if this idiot bites.'"
While we're delighted that Bill Skarsgård ultimately landed the role, it's admittedly a lot of fun to imagine the alternate history version of It: Chapter One that featured Slate in Pennywise's oversized clown shoes. It also makes us wonder who else was invited to audition for the role.
Jenny Slate: Seasoned Professional is now available via Prime Video.
