The Life of Television and Film Star Jennifer Coolidge

Around the time her television career was gaining momentum, she came close to playing Lynette Scavo on Desperate Housewives. The role ultimately went to Felicity Huffman, who became one of the central stars of the series.

It was a major near-miss because Desperate Housewives became one of the biggest television hits of the 2000s. For Coolidge, it was another reminder that even established comic actors could still lose out on career-changing parts.