Turns Out The Conners Could Have Had A Huge Pop Star As Harris Instead Of Emma Kenney, And I Have Several Questions

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As a devoted fan who’s been following the lives of these characters since their humble beginnings on Roseanne, I can’t help but feel a twinge of curiosity and what-ifs upon learning about Sabrina Carpenter’s audition for Harris Conner. If only fate had taken a different turn, we might have seen this talented young star gracing our screens as the eldest Conner daughter instead of Emma Kenney, who’s done an outstanding job bringing Harris to life over the past seven seasons.

Instead of ending with a quiet sigh or grumble, “The Conners” is preparing for an exciting and action-packed final season when the ABC sitcom returns to the 2025 TV premiere calendar in March. Fans might be in for a treat as several guest stars may make appearances in Lanford, although pop star Sabrina Carpenter probably won’t be among them. Interestingly enough, if her audition had been more warmly received, Carpenter could have realistically become a part of the main family.

Indeed, it seems accurate that a 25-year-old Grammy nominee was considered for the role of Darlene’s eldest child Harris Conner, with Emma Kenney eventually securing the part. However, according to comedian Whitney Cummings, who previously worked as an executive producer on Roseanne, it turned out to be a fortunate twist of events that Carpenter was not chosen for the role. In an interview with People, Cummings commented on this potential casting decision.

Sabrina Carpenter attempted an audition for the role, but it turned out the part didn’t suit her perfectly. On that casting day, she received a rejection notice for the daughter’s role. Interestingly enough, I’m glad we declined her, as she would have been tied to a sitcom set instead of continuing her journey as Sabrina Carpenter.

It might seem unusual for a show creator to express gratitude by saying “Thank God” for not securing a well-known talent for a TV role, but her feelings are understandable. For instance, Emma Kenney has excelled as the character Harris, the rebellious slacker, over seven seasons of television, making it challenging to imagine anyone else in that part.

In other words, given that Carpenter has been primarily engaged in sitcom work for the last seven years, it could be challenging for her to develop her music career enough to perform at Taylor Swift concerts or lead massive tours of her own. Although John Goodman manages to balance his role in The Righteous Gemstones with his part as Dan Conner, their schedules are not identical.

It seems that Sabrina Carpenter might have auditioned for Harris Connor around the time when Disney Channel ended “Girl Meets World” in Summer 2017, considering her role as Maya Hart on the spinoff and her contribution to the theme song. Her performance suggested she was ready for more family comedies produced by Disney.

It wasn’t Emma Kenney who ultimately landed the role, but the circumstances surrounding this outcome were not necessarily negative for her. In Whitney Cummings’ perspective, seemingly unfavorable situations like these can be just as beneficial as positive ones. To quote her, “That kind of ‘bad news’ can sometimes be a blessing in disguise.

It seems that our culture often conditions us to strive for victory and affirmation, but sometimes a ‘yes’ can lead to undesirable outcomes – like being cast in a series for seven years only to find yourself in a role that doesn’t resonate with you. In essence, it’s possible to end up in the wrong place despite receiving approval.

Given our newfound knowledge about that intriguing tidbit from the world of sitcoms, I’d like to explore some hypothetical scenarios if Sabrina Carpenter had secured the part instead.

Was Carpenter only considered for the role of Harris on The Conners, or did she initially audition for Roseanne before that show got cancelled? Since the article only mentions The Conners in relation to Cummings’ comments, it might imply that Carpenter was intended to replace Harris in the spinoff following Roseanne Barr’s dismissal. However, it could also suggest that the use of “The Conners” as a title encompasses its precursor and implies she auditioned for both shows.

In the role of Harris, would it have been necessary for Sara Gilbert (Darlene) to dye her hair brown since both she and Johnny Galecki (David) share dark, wavy curls? Given that a noticeably blonde child might draw attention, it could seem unusual. However, considering Becky successfully portrayed a blonde character even though Roseanne and Dan were brunettes, perhaps it wouldn’t have appeared so odd.

As a devoted fan, I can’t help but wonder if being part of “The Conners” family might have boosted Sabrina Carpenter’s career even more. Her recent Grammy nomination for Best New Artist is quite surprising given that her current hit album “Short n’ Sweet” is actually her sixth. Her earlier Disney-produced albums, while not as successful, arguably didn’t capture the zeitgeist like her latest one did. Could it be that being a star in one of television’s most popular comedies during those years could have made a difference?

Is there a chance Sabrina Carpenter might make a guest appearance in The Conners‘ last season? A fun twist could be an opening scene where Carpenter takes on the role of Harris in a dream sequence, similar to how they’ve played with Lecy Goranson and Sarah Chalke swapping the role of Becky Conner over the years. It would certainly be interesting, although it might not be the simplest cameo to arrange, but if the creative team manages to make it happen, I’d definitely enjoy it!

Even though fans might have to endure a longer-than-usual wait for fresh episodes of The Conners, it looks like Tim Allen is set to make his comeback on ABC’s sitcom scene, as his new series Shifting Gears is slated to debut in January. Who knows, maybe Chappel Roan tried out for Kat Dennings’ part in the upcoming show, but we’ll only find out about it in a few years.

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2024-11-24 22:37