She was the first winner of American Idol, before it became a defining juggernaut of a decade's pop culture; it's hard to imagine now, but when Clarkson first auditioned, the fate of the show – let alone its contestants – was an unknown.
I just auditioned for this thing that said they'd pay you, and it happened to be American Idol.
Some years ago I was auditioned by the BBC to take over the part of Joey in the hit sitcom Bread.
When Tommy auditioned new drummers, he would demonstrate what he wanted them to do, but found that nobody could do it better than he did.
American Idol judge Simon Cowell, who would destroy young singers with his harsh critiques, was full of praise for Johns when he auditioned for the show aged 28 – the final year he was eligible.
So in 2001, the ABC Casting Department Talent Showcase was born. Lee and her casting team have auditioned 1,400 actors in LA and New York every year since, identifying the best 14 to 20 who perform at a live show for media executives from across the entire industry.
(4) Have you forgiven the Coen brothers for all the times you auditioned for them but didn't get cast?(5) After a while.
(4) Perhaps his Best Actor Oscar nomination for The Visitor? (5) He auditioned unsuccessfully for Raising Arizona, Miller's Crossing and Fargo but made it into The Man Who Wasn't There, Intolerable Cruelty and Burn After Reading.
Molly Shannon added to the SNL canon when she debuted 50-year-old Sally O'Malley, the youthful middle-aged woman who liked to "kick, stretch and kick!" Even though she routinely auditioned for jobs with younger women in every sketch, her infectious energy and refusal to be treated like an old woman helped her get the gig every time.
Once I auditioned for a TV drama set in the 19th century.
She does, however, point to the importance of remaining open-minded about every part, even when written for a character with a particular background, as proved by Harewood when he auditioned for ABC's upcoming Selfie, starring Doctor Who's Karen Gillan.
