▁P ace y ▁W itter ▁instead . ▁After ▁watching ▁a ▁video ▁of ▁James ▁van ▁der ▁Be ek ▁that ▁his ▁casting ▁director ▁had ▁sent ▁in , ▁the ▁casting ▁crew ▁invited ▁him ▁to ▁aud ition ▁in ▁Los ▁Angeles . ▁A ▁regular ▁off - B road way ▁perform er , ▁van ▁der ▁Be ek ▁im pressed ▁Williams ▁with ▁his ▁" c ere br al ▁and ▁internal " ▁quality , ▁cit ing ▁" that ▁nerv ous ness ▁that ▁made ▁it ▁seem ▁like ▁he ▁was ▁pre - th inking ▁and ▁over - th inking ▁and ▁over - comp ens ating ▁constantly ▁like ▁he ▁was ▁in secure . ▁And ▁we ▁said , ▁" There ' s ▁Daw son " ." ▁Act ors ▁Charlie ▁H unn am , ▁Ad rian ▁Gren ier , ▁J esse ▁Ty ler ▁Fer g us on , ▁and ▁Scott ▁Speed man ▁also ▁aud ition ed ▁for ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁Daw son , ▁while ▁Adam ▁Bro dy ▁read ▁for ▁P ace y . ▁ ▁With ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁Daw son ' s ▁best ▁female ▁friend ▁Jo ey ▁Pot ter , ▁casting ▁direct ors ▁were ▁looking ▁for ▁a ▁tom boy ▁character . ▁William son ▁and ▁his ▁team ▁were ▁initially ▁close ▁to ▁casting ▁actress ▁Sel ma ▁Bla ir ▁in ▁the ▁role ▁who ▁had ▁aud ition ed ▁" very ▁t ough , ▁[ but ] ▁with ▁a ▁lot ▁of ▁heart ," ▁when ▁an ▁aud ition ▁t ape ▁of ▁K atie ▁Hol mes ▁came ▁in , ▁in ▁which ▁she ▁had ▁fil med ▁herself ▁in ▁her ▁bas ement , ▁with ▁her