Chloe Grace Moretz Was Once Told She Was ‘Too Pretty’ to Star in the ‘Carrie’ Remake
Actor Chloe Grace Moretz helped remake Stephen King’s popular Carrie with a 2013 modern take of the story. But initially, Moretz was turned down for the role. The filmmakers felt she had many things going against her to portray one of King’s most famous characters. One of those things was that she was too pretty.
Chloe Grace Moretz stayed in character for ‘Carrie’
Taking on Stephen King’s iconic story was no easy task for Moretz. When she got the part, initially she found herself intimidated by the idea of starring in a King novel.
“That’s what scared me … trying to take something that was one of his most iconic pieces of work that he’s ever written and try and breathe life, even halfway as good, as the words that he has put into a book,” Moretz once said to ABC News.
Because of her commitment to the part, Moretz did everything she could to immerse herself in the role.
“It was the first movie I ever did in which I wanted to try method [acting],” she continued. “You know, trying to really breathe and live in her because she is such a dark character you can’t just cut and be like hee-hawing around.”
Chloe Grace Moretz was told she was ‘too pretty’ to star in ‘Carrie’
Moretz starring in Carrie was far from a sure thing at one point. When the young actor originally pursued the role, she had a lot going against her.
“When I was auditioning for Carrie, I was told, ‘Well, look, you’re too young, you’re too pretty, you’re too accomplished’,” Moretz once told Teen Vogue (via Digital Spy).
But the young star didn’t let that discourage her, eventually convincing the filmmaker that she was right for the part.
“I love showing people I can do something that they might think I will never be able to do” she explained. “Playing someone who’s happy-go-lucky and has a good life and a nice family – it’s boring for me.”
To Moretz, the appeal of playing the disturbed character was it being the complete opposite of who she was.
“[Being happy is] my life. I have a good family. My mom loves me. I like being challenged, playing characters that are a little messed up,” she said.
Chloe Grace Moretz had to be broken down for ‘Carrie’
To further inhabit her character, the Shadow In the Cloud star traveled to a more insecure place emotionally. If only because Carrie’s life experience was a stark contrast to Moretz’s.
“It was interesting because I live a very privileged life, obviously. I’m an accomplished young actor, I have a very solid normal family, tons of siblings, and a mother that loves me. Aunts, uncles, I have everyone around me to tell me they love me, and Carrie doesn’t really have anyone,” Moretz told Collider.
To do the character justice, Moretz went through an interesting process that had her “strip away who I am, this young girl who is kind of like a go-getter and really competitive and everything to Carrie who is this wounded animal.”
