George Clooney's Influence Saved Julianna Margulies' Iconic 'ER' Role

Julianna Margulies reveals how a flunked audition and George Clooney's support reversed her character's fate on 'ER'.

Julianna Margulies initially auditioned for a different role on 'ER', but her anger during the process led to a second chance for the role of Carol Hathaway.
The original script for 'ER' had Carol Hathaway dying in the pilot episode from a drug overdose, which was a pivotal scene viewed through George Clooney's character's perspective.
A test audience's strong reaction to Carol's death, largely due to George Clooney's popularity, prompted a change in the storyline to keep her character alive.
Sherry Stringfield's character, Dr. Susan Lewis, inadvertently contributed to the character's survival by obscuring the line indicating Carol's death.
Margulies and Clooney maintain a strong friendship, with Margulies expressing pride in Clooney's upcoming Broadway debut.