Emily Browning on turning down the role that could have changed everything

Emily Browning stars in the Prime TV series ‘Class of ’07’ where she gets trapped with her high school buddies during their ten-year reunion after a tidal wave leaves them stranded. The actress looks comfortable in the new comedic role, but she has had a love-hate relationship with Hollywood along with a string of make-or-break decisions.

The Australian actress, born in 1988, made her Hollywood debut in Lemony Snicket's 'A Series of Unfortunate Events' back in 2004. Previously, the actress had gotten into Australian film and TV shows. It was a tough decision for the actress to make the leap to LA - and stay there.

It is clear Browning was not a fan of the Hollywood scene after she had moved to Los Angeles to film her first all-star movie alongside big names such as Meryl Streep and Jim Carey. According to IndieWire, she struggled to understand her own decision to be an actress.

Browning even thought about giving it all up and heading back to Australian shores. To The Guardian, she said, "I saw a world I didn't want to be part of… I was hanging out with kids ... who only knew the film industry, and it freaked me out."

“I had certain people who were telling me, if I was lucky, I could be the star of a Nickelodeon show. I thought, 'No, I can't do this. I need to get out of here.' And for a while, I thought I didn't want to be an actress,” the actress continued. With an impressive filmography, including 'Sucker Punch,' ‘Stranded,' and 'Suburban Girl,' we are glad she stuck around.

But there are two roles that could have changed the course of this actress forever. These films went on to be huge hits and turned into multi-million dollar franchises. The reason the actress never took the jobs is certainly surprising.

The first script that Browning had in her hands that could have changed the whole course of events in her Hollywood life was that of Bella Swan in the ‘Twilight’ series. The actress was still in a state of limbo over her career and her future.

According to IndieWire, author of the ‘Twilight’ series, Stephanie Meyer, had initially thought about Emily Browning for the role in the vampire saga - the role that was eventually played by Kristen Stewart. Browning didn’t exactly turn down the role, but she chose not to audition.

"The author at one point stated that I would be her ideal Bella, but I chose not to audition because I was at a point in my career where I wasn't sure I wanted to work, I definitely didn't want to sign onto a trilogy," Browning told IndieWire.

In fact, the actress stated they never even asked her to take the lead role in 'Twilight,' because she couldn’t even audition. Browning told to MTV that she was ‘exhausted’ and “I was too tired. So, really, it's just a matter of me being lazy.” The best-selling books turned into best-selling movies without her.

And yet - the vulnerability of Bella Swan could have fit the actress well. She has often played characters that are ‘fragile’, according to the actress in an interview with The Guardian: “I’ve made my career playing fragile people because I can relate to it… I’m plagued by constant anxiety.”

“It’s this nagging, buzzing little thing in my head,” she continued. “When I’m in front of the camera, that’s the only time I really get a release. I’m just there.” And yet, Browning has been very picky about the parts she accepts. Just take a look at the other legendary role she turned down…

IndieWire writes that Emily Browning was also penned to audition for a role in ‘The Hunger Games’, which stars Jennifer Lawrence. Again, the idea of being in the limelight unsettled the actress and she was nervous about auditioning for the dystopian trilogy.

Photo: Still of Jennifer Lawrence in 'The Hunger Games'

"I've never read the book to be honest — which I know is terrible of me," Browning admitted to IndieWire. It seems the actress was never aiming for the ‘movie star’ role and wanted to work on the projects she wanted, keeping out of the spotlight.

"I want to be an actor – that's what I want to do and I know that the movie star element has to be there to some degree, so that you have the freedom of choice to make films that you want to make. But that idea of movie star still freaks me out," she told the publication.

So the actress consciously picked roles in line with her goals as a working actor. For example, she played the wife of Reggie Kray in the gritty movie ‘Legend’, starring Tom Hardy. She wanted to take the role, despite even her real-life niece publicly hating her aunt’s portrayal of the character!

Frances Shea, Reggie Kray’s wife, was a character with a mystery. She took her own life in 1967, and yet, reports suggest she was murdered by Ronnie Kray, Reggie's twin brother. Browning liked the idea that there was no real backstory and that she could use her instincts with the character.

“There wasn’t much out there I felt I could trust,” Browning commented about researching for the role. "And I kind of loved that; I really don’t intellectualise acting too much. It allowed me to shape Shea for myself." Less info - less effort?

But the character did the job for Emily Browning - it made her a grittier actress than the ‘hot babe’ Hollywood wanted to try and pin her as. "I’m so determined not to play the hot babe that doesn’t say anything, that can’t have an opinion, but it’s so difficult to resist all of that. Hollywood movies are made for white men, and that’s something I think about and which bothers me all the time."

Possibly ostracising herself from Hollywood, Browning has never been afraid in interviews to speak her mind about the sexism she has experienced in making movies. “The sad thing is it’s so consistent, and so present. Sometimes you don’t even notice it.”

There are struggles in all walks of life - both personally and professionally - and Emily Browning notices that there has to be hardships and hurdles in her working life. To IndieWire, she said that if her work wasn't challenging, it would be "soul-destroying."