Julia Fox landed Uncut Gems role despite studios wanting a big name ‘like Lady Gaga or Jennifer Lawrence’

Julia Fox revealed that film studios originally wanted her breakout role in Uncut Gems to go to an actor with a “big name, like Lady Gaga or Jennifer Lawrence”.

The 33-year-old model made her film debut starring as Adam Sandler’s mistress in the 2019 crime comedy about a Jewish-American jeweller, Howard Ratner, who makes the ultimate high-stakes bet.

Fox’s role as Ratner’s (Sandler) girlfriend Julia De Fiore in the film was something she said screenwriter Josh Safdie was certain she’d be perfect for.

However, even after acing her screen test with Sandler, Safdie informed Fox that the studios “want someone with a big name, like Lady Gaga or Jennifer Lawrence”. Fox makes these revelations in her debut book, Down the Drain, according to People.

At the time, Fox had no previous acting credits, so when she eventually did land the role, she said it felt like winning the lottery.

Her portrayal in the critically acclaimed movie earned her a Breakthrough Actor Award at the 2019 Gotham Awards.

Elsewhere in her memoir, she opened up about her brief, two-month relationship with Kanye West, claiming that he controlled what she wore.

Only referring to the “Flashing Lights” rapper as “the artist”, Fox explained that they had received each other’s numbers through mutual friends, before having long conversations on the phone.

They then met in person on New Year’s Eve in 2021 and had dinner together the next day, which is when he asked her to make the relationship official, according to Fox.

She further claimed that West had sent her a variety of clothes after they first met. Despite the amount of clothes, however, she said they were all variations of the same skintight, black jumpsuit. She said that, by their second date, West told her that he wanted to give her a styling team to help her with her wardrobe.

The Italian-born model added that, once she tried on a variety of pieces by notable designers for West, he allegedly told her: “I could get you a boob job if you want.” Although she wrote that she turned down the rapper’s offer, his comment still hurt her.

Down the Drain is out now.