Monica Schipper/Getty; Eugene Gologursky/Getty
NEED TO KNOW
Zooey Deschanel says Katie Holmes was originally cast for her role in Elf
When Holmes dropped out, however, Deschanel got the part
Deschanel played Buddy the Elf's love interest Jovie in the 2003 film, which follows a human who, after learning he was adopted and raised by Santa's elves, heads to New York City to find his biological father.
Zooey Deschanelsays her role inElfalmost didn't happen — untilKatie Holmesdropped out.
Deschanel, 45 played Buddy the Elf's Gimbels store-elf love interest Jovie in the 2003 film, which follows a human who, after learning he was adopted and raised by Santa's elves, heads to New York City to find his biological father.
Along the way, he finds love with Jovie, who helps him restore his dad's Christmas cheer and save the holiday for boys and girls everywhere.
During a Dec. 17 appearance onCall Her Daddywith Alex Cooper, theNew Girlalum opened up about her audition for the film, which came when was 21 years old.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
"When I met with Jon Favreau, the director, I walked in and he was like, 'Oh, you don't need to read. We just offered it to Katie Holmes,' she recalled. "And I was like, 'Oh, OK, cool.' And he's like, 'Well, sit down and talk for a minute.' I was like, 'OK!'"
When she sat with Favreau, the actor said, she wasn't nervous as she no longer felt like she was auditioning.
Alan Markfield/New Line Prods/Kobal/Shutterstock
"What was great about that was, I wasn't nervous," she said. "When you're an actor, you're first starting, and you're auditioning, you get nervous, and you're psyching yourself up. I wasn't nervous at all, because I was like, 'Well, I'm not getting the part.' It was kind of great cause I was not nervous."
Later, when Holmes dropped out of the film due to a scheduling conflict, she got the part.
"And then they were like, 'Who should we have?'" Deschanel said. "I think the character was kind of meant to be worked around whoever played her, and they knew I sang because I had a cabaret act, so that kind of worked out with the character."
In a classic scene from the film, Buddy walks into the bathroom while Jovie is taking a shower at Gimbels department store, drawn by her voice as she sings"Baby It's Cold Outside."
Read the original article onPeople
