 Brooke Shields was the first to be cast in the film after auditioning in New York City in 1975; director Sole had seen her modeling in a "Vogue" advertisement, and contacted her mother about the film, expressing his interest in her playing the role of young Karen.For her audition, Shields was required to mime as though she were being strangled to death.Sole recalled that Shields's mother "bent over backwards to help me out."