Amy Adams Talks Getting Fired From TV Before Sharp Objects

Amy Adams the late show with seth meyers
(Image credit: Lloyd Bishop/NBC)

Amy Adams is currently garnering critical acclaim for her performances in HBO's dark drama Sharp Objects. Given the caliber of actress that Adams is, it is next to impossible to imagine her ever being fired from a role. Well, it turns out not everyone realized the talent they had before them when Adams started her career. In an appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers, Adams revealed that she had been let go from three (yes, three) different television series. So what was the reason? Adams explained saying:

One, I was bad. I mean, I was way too young...it looked sort of -- yeah. But -- and it -- I was trying too hard. And the other one just their actress became available. And then the other one, I wasn't really fired, but they brought in a really tall blonde. And I knew, and they dyed my hair red, and then I was fired for not being sexy enough. Rob Lowe writes about it in his book. They were right. I was not sexy enough, they were right, so.

The curiosity is only natural -- which shows fired Amy Adams? Well, let's dig into it. A little research and intense Googling may hold the key to unlocking at least one of the mystery shows. Of course, this is all speculation. Let's begin with the first two series, both of which are super tricky to ascertain. Given the clue Adams shares regarding her age, we can deduce those instances occurred early in her career. So those shows' identities are both pretty open-ended.

If they are shows that actually made it to air, there are a lot of potential options. In chronological order, they range from the sitcom That '70s Show, the cult favorite Charmed, the dramas Zoe, Duncan, Jack & Jane and Providence, as well as Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Amy Adams was featured in all of those in 2000. Between Buffy in 2000 and what is most assuredly show number three in 2004, Adams appeared in Smallville and The West Wing. We may be able to cross one of those shows off the list.

That is because her role on the Season 1 Smallville episode "Craving" was most assuredly a guest appearance given the nature of her character's backstory. So you can probably take that show off the table. The other series remain possibilities for both the first and second shows that Adams was fired from given the clues available, although it all depends on whether she was fired before any episodes made it to the airwaves and she was given credit. We may never know what those two shows were unless Adams opens up about them. That brings us to the final series Adams mentions.

The identity of the third and final show Amy Adams discloses being fired from is pretty obvious. Based on the clue of Rob Lowe's participation in the series, it is easy to surmise that the television show in question is probably none other than the short-lived CBS drama Dr. Vegas, which starred Lowe and Adams.

Despite the hardships and rejection she faced early in her career, Amy Adams persevered, and she is now one of the top actresses working today. It is proof of the importance of not giving up. And thankfully, she has not let her early television experiences keep her from returning to the medium and starring in Sharp Objects.

You can watch Amy Adams talk about her early days on television and how she accidentally keeps calling Christina Applegate in the video below:

You can watch Amy Adams in Sharp Objects when new episodes air Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO. As for new episodes of Late Night with Seth Meyers, they air weeknights at 12:35 a.m. ET on NBC. For new television shows set to arrive this fall, check out CinemaBlend's guide to TV's fall premieres.

Britt Lawrence

Like a contented Hallmark movie character, Britt happily lives in the same city she grew up in. Along with movies and television, she is passionate about competitive figure skating. She has been writing about entertainment for 5 years, and as you may suspect, still finds it as entertaining to do as when she began.