Top 10 Things You Didn't Know About the Cast of 13 Reasons Why
With season 2 coming back, here are top 10 things you didn't know about the cast of 13 Reasons Why! Did you know that some of the cast and crew got matching tattoos? That Selena felt like it was too much pressure to take on the role as Hannah? That Dylan Minette is in a band and that he was caught on Google maps before?
#10: Some of the Cast and Crew Got Matching Tattoos
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Executive producer Selena Gomez and cast mates Tommy Dorfman and Alisha Boe all have matching semicolon tattoos on their wrists. The trio’s decision to get inked came in response to Project Semicolon, a mental health organization whose goal is to lower suicide rates around the world. The company, whose slogan reads “Your story is not over”, encourages people to get semicolon tattoos in support of those who continue to struggle with mental illness. With suicide being a major theme of “13 Reasons Why”, it should come as no surprise that Gomez and company felt it was their duty to show their support for Project Semicolon.
#9: Dylan Minnette Is In a Band Called Wallows
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We knew Dylan Minnette had talent, we just didn’t know it extended to the realm of indie-rock! Minnette, who plays protagonist Clay Jensen on the show, is also a member of the band Wallows, who had previously performed as The Feaver and later The Narwhals. To be honest, all three are spot-on indie-rock band names. Minnette serves as the band’s lead singer and rhythm guitarist. They released the single “Pleaser” in the spring of 2017 and have performed at some of LA’s most prestigious venues. Watch out world, Dylan Minnette is a double threat!
#8: Selena Gomez Was Supposed To Play Hannah
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If you were surprised when you found out that Selena Gomez served as the executive producer on “13 Reasons Why” you’ll be doubly shocked to learn that she was at one point attached to star! That’s right, Gomez was originally brought on in 2011 to play Hannah Baker in a film adaptation of Jay Asher’s novel. The project ultimately fell apart, with Gomez pointing to the novels cult following as the reason for why she didn’t take the part. According to her, “A book is frightening for me because I know the cult following it has, which is the reason why I didn't want to be in it.” She clearly wasn’t that scared if she stuck around as a producer!
#7: Minnette Had a Small Role on Grey’s Anatomy
It’s amazing what a difference 10 years can make. Back in 2007 Dylan Minnette was just another 10-year-old child actor slowly building a name for himself in Hollywood. One of his first big roles came on a season four episode of “Grey’s Anatomy”, where he played Ryan, a patient at Seattle Grace Hospital with a hearing impairment. Oddly enough, this wasn’t Minnette’s only appearance on a classic 2000’s show, as he also appeared on “Two and a Half Men” and “Prison Break”. All that hard work clearly paid off, as he’s now the star of his own teen drama series!
#6: Google Maps Caught Them Filming
Throughout the years the phenomenon that is the Google maps car has caught people in all kinds of compromising and sometimes hilarious acts; and it appears the cast of“13 Reasons Why” fell victim to the roaming map maker while shooting season one. If you type in Clay’s home address - 231 Bayview Street, San Rafael, California – you’ll notice a young man in a hoodie with his arms outstretched standing outside. A closer inspection reveals it to be none other than Dylan Minnette. A quick look around the surrounding area and you can clearly see movie trucks and crewmembers going about their business!
#5: Ross Butler Is Wary of Being Typecast
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Ross Butler, who plays Zach Dempsey on “13 Reasons Why”, is, as you’ve probably noticed, Asian. Born in Singapore, Butler later moved with his mother to the U.S. where he eventually became an actor. Butler is quite aware of the stereotypes that plague Asian actors in Hollywood, so he’s asked his agent not to send him on auditions for roles written specifically for people of his ethnic background. Butler claims, and Hollywood history tends to back it up, that Asian actors are often pigeonholed into playing the IT guy, the nerd or the Kung Fu specialist. Thankfully, blind casting is becoming more and more frequent in Hollywood, which will hopefully translate into better roles for people like Ross Butler!
#4: Minnette and Langford Hadn't Read the Book Before Filming
Before it was a hit TV show “13 Reasons Why” was a New York Times best selling novel with a considerable following amongst young adults. However, neither Dylan Minnette nor Katherine Langford read it before auditioning for the roles of Clay Jensen and Hannah Baker respectively. Langford felt the same way Selena Gomez felt, in that she didn’t want to put too much pressure on herself by not being able to live up to the character in Jay Asher’s novel. Clearly it didn’t affect them too much, as both Minnette and Langford turned in star-making performances!
#3: This Is Katherine Langford’s First Big Role
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It’s always exciting to see a newcomer shine on screen for the first time. Katherine Langford grew up in Australia and prior to landing the role of Hannah Baker only had two short film credits to her name. Of course, she wasn’t exactly testing the waters for the first time, having trained at the Nicholson Academy of Screen Acting in 2015. If the fact that she’s slowly becoming a star thanks to an incredible breakout performance isn’t enough, consider this: the talented Aussie scored the role of Hannah Baker over Skype. Because auditions were taking place 13,000 km away in California, Langford had no choice but to audition via the Internet. It clearly wasn’t an issue.
#2: Devin Druid Was the Only Real “Teen” on the Show
Druid, who plays school photographer Tyler Down on “13 Reasons Why” was the cast’s only teenager. As has been a Hollywood tradition for as long as we can remember, high schooler’s are typically played by actors in their 20’s and sometimes even there 30’s; we’re looking at you “Grease”. “13 Reasons Why” was no exception, with many of the main actors in their early to mid 20’s. Druid, who was 19 during filming, definitely looks the part, with his boyish good looks and lack of facial hair.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a couple honorable mentions:
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#1: Katherine Langford Lied to Her Parents about Becoming an Actor
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Sometimes the greatest things in life are the result of a little white lie. Katherine Langford knows this all too well, as she never told her parents that she was trying to become an actor, instead informing them that she was attending university. Upon graduating from high school, the soon-to-be star put all of her efforts into becoming an actor, which at first, resulted in her working three jobs while simultaneously auditioning for roles. We can only imagine how shocked her parents must have been when they discovered their daughter was going to be a TV star in America!
