Jeff Bridges, despite a career spanning more than five decades, has faced his share of setbacks in Hollywood, including losing out on a role he was passionate about in Spike Jonze's 2009 film Where the Wild Things Are. Bridges auditioned for the voice role of Carol but lost the part to James Gandolfini, who had recently finished The Sopranos and was in high demand for film roles. The episode highlights the unpredictable nature of casting even for established stars, and came at a period when Bridges was taking more supporting roles as he aged out of Hollywood's typical leading-man mould.

Bridges admitted "I wanted that part really bad," praising Jonze but acknowledging Gandolfini won the role instead. Where the Wild Things Are, made on a $100million budget, was a critically interesting but commercially underwhelming family drama that proved too sombre for mainstream success. That same year, however, brought Bridges a career turning point: his lead role in the music drama Crazy Heart earned him his first Academy Award for Best Actor, a widely regarded deserved recognition for his body of work.