David Bowie tends to get all the attention for Labyrinth, but he was roughly two decades into his career by the time it was released. His co-star Jennifer Connelly, however, had only appeared in a few films, and the role of Sarah Williams was her breakthrough. So, how’d she get the part? See for yourself in this audition tape, shot when the actress was only 14 and recently unearthed from the Jim Henson Company archives. Connelly’s character is already recognizable as the wholesome, naïve daydreamer we remember from the film, and she does an excellent job pantomiming in a scene that requires a lot of props. Make sure to watch until the end to see her exchange some friendly shop talk with none other than Jim Henson himself.
[via Dangerous Minds]