All’s well that ends well, but Adam Scott once came close to missing out on a defining role in HBO’s Six Feet Under, losing out to Michael C. Hall and nearly stepping away from acting in the process.
In a recent appearance on Amy Poehler’s Good Hang podcast, the Parks and Recreation star and Poehler reflected on their collaboration and Scott’s career path. Poehler asked if there was a role he had been close to landing but ultimately didn’t get.
Scott paused before answering, praising Hall as “perfect and incredible” and admitting, “I wasn’t ready.” Poehler confirmed that the pair had actually tested for the part, and Scott acknowledged the sting: “That hurts.”
The moment stands out as one of those near-mits in Hollywood that can alter a trajectory. Scott recalled that the audition process for Six Feet Under felt like a fork in the road, and he even considered stepping away from acting entirely, telling himself to read the tea leaves and walk away. Poehler captured the sense of how dominant the show was at the time, describing it as eclipsing all other television during its 2001–2005 run.
Despite the near-miss, Scott did end up joining the world of Six Feet Under later, guest-starring in Season 2 as the boyfriend of Hall’s character, Nate Fisher. He described that experience as enjoyable and found Hall to be a pleasure to work with, acknowledging that losing the lead role was painful but also an important life lesson.
Six Feet Under, created by Oscar-winning writer-director Alan Ball, centers on the Fisher family and their Los Angeles funeral home, blending dark humor with existential musings about mortality. Hall’s portrayal of Nate Fisher earned him a lead acting Emmy nomination in 2002, underscoring how pivotal the show remained in the landscape of early 2000s TV.
Additional context and value:
– This anecdote highlights the unpredictable nature of acting careers. A near miss can push an actor to pursue other opportunities and trials, which may lead to even more meaningful collaborations and breakout moments later on.
– The episode also underscores the lasting influence of Six Feet Under, a series that left a permanent mark on television storytelling and on the careers of its cast, including Hall and Scott.
– The conversation reflects a healthy perspective on rejection in the arts: pain from a setback can coexist with gratitude for subsequent chances and professional growth.
A hopeful takeaway is that setbacks aren’t ends but redirections. Scott’s experience demonstrates how resilience and openness to different paths can yield rewarding roles and collaborations down the line, reinforcing that the right opportunities often reveal themselves when you keep moving forward.