Severance star Adam Scott has reflected on one of the most “painful” career rejections that nearly made him quit acting.
Years before Scott, 52, found his breakout as Ben Wyatt in the Emmy-winning sitcom Parks and Recreation, he auditioned for the role of David Fisher in HBO’s hit drama Six Feet Under.
Discussing the early career setback on a recent episode of Amy Poehler’s Good Hang podcast, Scott recalled that both he and Michael C. Hall tested for the part, which ultimately went to Hall.
While the Good Place alum remembered losing the part was “hard,” he acknowledged: “It’s good that I didn’t get it because it wouldn’t be nearly as good if I had done it because [Hall] was perfect and incredible.
“He’s incredible, and I wasn’t ready,” Scott reiterated. Still, he found that rejection particularly devastating because Six Feet Under was “the show” of the early aughts, and “eclipsed all other shows.”
“It was the one where I was like, ‘I might stop doing this. I think that it’s time for me to read the tea leaves and walk away’,” he admitted. “But yeah, that was a blow. That was hard. But it’s also important that you have those experiences.”
Though he didn’t land the role, Scott did end up making a guest appearance in the show’s second season as Hall’s brief onscreen boyfriend, Ben Cooper.
The Big Little Lies actor recalled having a “fun” time on the series and described Hall as “lovely.”
Hall ended up earning an Emmy nomination for Best Lead Actor in 2002 for his portrayal of the closeted funeral director.
Six Feet Under, which aired from 2001 to 2005, was a dark comedy that followed the Fisher family, whose patriarch dies and leaves behind his funeral parlor to his two sons, David and Nate (Peter Krause). It also featured Lauren Ambrose and Frances Conroy.
Throughout its five-season run, the series, created by Alan Ball, earned a total of 53 Emmy nominations, of which it won nine.
Scott joined Parks and Recreation in 2010, debuting in the penultimate episode of season two. He quickly endeared himself to fans through the show’s beloved enemies-to-lovers storyline with Amy Poehler’s Leslie Knope.
He currently leads Apple TV+’s critically acclaimed sci-fi thriller Severance, for which he’s received two Outstanding Lead Actor Emmy nominations.
This year, he’s up against Sterling K. Brown (Paradise), Gary Oldman (Slow Horses), Pedro Pascal (The Last of Us), and Noah Wyle (The Pitt).
