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In 1992, Téa Leoni was overlooked for the role of a lifetime. A decade later, she finally got her chance
Téa Leoni missed out on the role of Ellie Sattler in *Jurassic Park* in 1992, when she was still establishing herself as an actor. She later auditioned for a part in *The Lost World: Jurassic Park* and was unsuccessful again, but in 2001 she joined the series as Amanda Kirby in *Jurassic Park III*.
Leoni said she was inspired by the original film and had wanted to play Laura Dern’s character. By the time she landed a role in the third film, she had appeared in *The Naked Truth*, *Bad Boys*, *Deep Impact* and *The Family Man*. Though *Jurassic Park III* received a weaker critical response than its predecessor, Leoni said the cast aimed to make something worthwhile, and she described her character as tough rather than a conventional damsel in distress.
In short
- Leoni missed out on *Jurassic Park* in 1992.
- She later auditioned for *The Lost World*.
- In 2001, she played Amanda Kirby in *Jurassic Park III*.
Explained simply
Jurassic Park is a film series about dinosaurs brought back to life through genetic science, and the dangers that follow when people try to control them. The first film, released in 1993, was based on a novel by Michael Crichton and became a major box-office success.
Laura Dern played palaeontologist Ellie Sattler in the original film. Téa Leoni later joined the series as Amanda Kirby in Jurassic Park III, part of a new story with a different cast of central characters. The films’ changing casts let the series introduce new people and situations while returning to its dinosaur theme.
The series matters as a long-running Hollywood franchise, with each instalment judged against the popularity of the original. Jurassic Park III received a less positive critical response than its predecessor, while Leoni said she wanted Amanda to be tough rather than a conventional damsel in distress.