‘Lost’ Audition Tapes: Everyone Wanted to Play Sawyer

By  · Published on May 19th, 2010

No matter how much we kid ourselves and strain to make it all about Mystery Team (on DVD May 25), this week is sure to be all about Lost. Or as Dr. Cole Abaius calls it, “Loooooooooost.” We’re still trying to figure that one out, but we believe it to be a theme song he made up in his head that ties into the slow passing Lost logo that precedes every episode. It’s a thing.

Last night I recapped the second to last episode, “What They Died For,” exploring all of the questions that have been answered and discussing some of the questions that have risen just in time for the Big Finish. Today, I’m looking back much further – back to the beginning. Well, before the beginning. Before the J.J. Abrams directed pilot took us to The Island for the first time, there were auditions. All of them seemingly for the role of Sawyer (see the tapes for Jorge Garcia, Dominic Monaghan and Matthew Fox). And thanks to Meredith at io9, these audition tapes have been located via the YouTube. So I thought I’d do what any responsible, Lost-loving blogger might do: share.

You almost have to wonder if the people in these videos had any idea of what they were in for…

Michael Emerson auditioning for Hurley

Matthew Fox auditioning for Sawyer and Jack

Josh Holloway auditioning for Sawyer

Jorge Garcia auditioning for Sawyer

Dominic Monaghan auditioning for Sawyer

Evangeline Lilly auditioning for Sawyer Kate

Naveen Andrews auditioning for Sayid

Daniel Dae Kim auditioning for Jin Kwon

Yunjin Kim auditioning for Kate

Emelie de Ravin auditioning for Claire

Harold Perrineau auditioning for Michael

Malcolm David Kelley auditioning for Walt

Maggie Grace auditioning for Shannon

Ian Somerhalder auditioning for Boone

Neil Miller is the persistently-bearded Publisher of Film School Rejects, Nonfics, and One Perfect Shot. He's also the Executive Producer of the One Perfect Shot TV show (currently streaming on HBO Max) and the co-host of Trial By Content on The Ringer Podcast Network. He can be found on Twitter here: @rejects (He/Him)