20 Things You Didn't Know About Saw
7. The Real Reason Shawnee Smith Was Cast As Amanda
The character of Amanda plays a small but pivotal role in Saw because she is the first victim of Jigsaw to survive a trap. Also, her scene is the first time the audience sees the iconic puppet, Billy.
When James Wan was setting up auditions, he contacted Shawnee Smith and said the role of Amanda was hers if she wanted it. Considering Smith was struggling for work at the time, this sounded like a perfect deal. For one day's work, she would have one of the most memorable moments in the film.
However, Smith said she found the script's violence "horrific" and was worried that filming the scene would haunt her. When she turned it down, Wan sent her the original short film, hoping it would changed her mind. After watching the short, Smith agreed to star in the movie.
But why was Wan so eager to have Smith for the role? Why didn't he just have other actresses audition for Amanda? And the answer is; he had a crush on her. Wan said he fancied Smith after seeing her in films like The Blob and Summer School and so, desperately wanted to work with her.