“The Boys” actor also read with Julianne Hough for the 2011 remake of the 1984 classic.

Chace Crawford recalls meeting Jennifer Lawrence during Footloose remake screen test

"The Boys" actor also read with Julianne Hough for the 2011 remake of the 1984 classic.

By Sharareh Drury

May 11, 2026 6:03 p.m. ET

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Chace Crawford, Jennifer Lawrence. Credit:

Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty; Arturo Holmes/Getty

- Chace Crawford recalled doing a screen test for the 2011 *Footloose *remake with Jennifer Lawrence.

- A teenage Lawrence had not even starred in her Oscar-nominated *Winter's Bone *breakout role when she worked with Crawford as a reader during the screen test.

- *The Boys *star ended up dropping out of the remake due to scheduling conflicts with his *Gossip Girl *gig.

Chace Crawford was almost in 2011's *Footloose* — but scheduling conflicts with his role on *Gossip Girl* led him to dropping out. While he didn't get to officially cut loose, Crawford did meet a pre-famous Jennifer Lawrence during a screen test for the film.

During an appearance on the *Armchair Expert With Dax Shepard* podcast, Crawford recalled "really wanting" to be in the remake of Kevin Bacon's 1984 musical hit, but was concerned over his inability to sing or dance.

"I remember telling [original director Kenny Ortega], I'm like, 'I can't sing or dance,'" Crawford shared. "It was an interesting challenge because they're like, 'No, we're going to like lean into this thing. And they're like, 'We're going to fly you out and do a big screen test.'"

Crawford, who was set to star as Ren McCormack in the remake, then revealed how the actress who was set up to read lines alongside him was none other than Lawrence.

"What was funny about that day, they had put in this like reader to read opposite me, a female actress. And she was really good and natural and we would eat lunch and she was cool," Crawford remembered, adding the reader ended up being Lawrence.**

Chace Crawford.

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At the time, Lawrence had not yet starred in her breakout role of Ree Dolly in the 2010 indie drama *Winter's Bone*, for which she earned her first Oscar nomination.**

*The Boys* star remembered thanking Lawrence for reading with him that day, and her saying the rehearsal was "really good." He also recalled doing a screen test with Julianne Hough, who played Ariel Moore in the remake, saying "she was phenomenal at dancing" and "made me look good."

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Crawford ultimately didn't stick on for *Footloose *due to conflicts with his *Gossip Girl *shooting schedule, sharing on the podcast that he remembers "being kind of irritated it didn't work out."

However, the actor noted that because he signed a "pay or play" contract for the project, he still got paid even though he was ultimately replaced by Kenny Wormald.

"I remember feeling okay with it," Crawford said. "Like, 'Okay, I got paid. I got paid enough to not do this thing. And I don't have to sing and dance.'"**

Watch Chace Crawford's full interview on the *Armchair Expert With Dax Shepard* above.**

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