Talking with The Hollywood Reporter in celebration of Coyote Ugly’s 15th anniversary back in August, the film’s crew discussed, among other hot topics (Kevin Smith penning an early draft of the script, for starters), that Jessica Simpson was a viable “contender” for the role of heroine Violet Sanford. “We did our due diligence and saw everybody,” said director David McNally, who noted that Jewel was also up for the roll before it ultimately wound up going to newbie thespian Piper Perabo. “Toward the end of the process, Piper walked in,” McNally continued. “She was actually from New Jersey and seemed to get it.” He added, “everyone loved” her screen test, and “that was the end of that.” Five years later, Simpson would gain notoriety for her official film debut as Daisy Duke in The Dukes of Hazzard, so it’s good that she still had an opportunity to be filmed in tiny shorts.
