neverfeelinplace

River Phoenix at the auditions for "A River Runs Through It" (1992) dir. Robert Redford

— Shadow Casting: The Making Of "A River Runs Through It"

(River auditioned for the role of Paul Maclean but he was not selected and the role went to Brad Pitt)

[...] Every day of my life since I've finished My Own Private Idaho, at some point in the day, I find the conversation somehow goes back to that film because it was such a great experience. I just start getting all joyous about it and start blabbing about it, so... but if you can believe it, there's a project out there that I feel just as strongly about, even though there's a good chance I might not be involved." He's talking about the Robert Redford project A River Runs Through It. "It's a great script. Just the best script that I've read that's come out of Hollywood in a long time. I auditioned - me and about a thousand other guys. It was a nice audition and I haven't auditioned in a while. I thought I'd be nervous...you guys don't smoke do you?"

The Redford project has River in a lather. His eyes sweep the room for smoke, someone to bum a cigarette from. Eventually, he relents and buys a pack, smoking one with guilty little puffs aimed up at the place where the name of his favorite TV journalist has yet to materialize."I had a really good talk, good meeting with Redford but I think he's gonna find the guy. The guy who just is that image-that Montana mountain boy, fly fisherman image. That's what I think he should do. I believe so strongly in it, I just want the best guy for it. If I get it, great. If I don't, I wasn't right for it."