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Christy Carlson Romano Recalls Missing Princess Diaries Audition: 'That Would Have Made My Career'

Christy Carlson Romano continues to share secrets from her days as a Disney Channel star, this time about how she missed the opportunity to audition for The Princess Diaries.

In a new video posted to her YouTube channel Thursday, titled "How I Lost Princess Diaries To Anne Hathaway," the former child actress, now 37, recalled prepping to audition for the movie, but missing the tryout when her responsibilities on her comedy series Even Stevens created a last-minute scheduling conflict.

"It is almost time for me to leave to go get ready for the audition, and I get called in by the producers and they say, 'Christy, we don't have time for you to go to the audition today,' " said Romano. "At the time, you couldn't just put yourself on tape. ... So if you didn't show up for the audition, chances are you weren't gonna get the opportunity. And this was a big one."

"It was a big chance," she continued, "and unfortunately, I didn't get a chance. ... I wanted to do this audition so badly. I don't know why, but I just knew it could be a big deal for me. I didn't get that audition. I didn't get to go because we had to film overtime or something like that. Sadly, I never got my shot at that."

Romano — known for her Broadway roots and early-aught Disney Channel work with Even Stevens, Kim Possible and Cadet Kelly — admitted, "I do think that would have made my career if I would have got it," but said that doesn't mean Hathaway "wasn't the right person for the role."

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Christy Carlson Romano and Anne Hathaway
Christy Carlson Romano and Anne Hathaway

Paul Archuleta/Getty; Moviestore/Shutterstock

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"She's amazing. She was so cute in it and so charming," she said of Hathaway, who got her big break in the 2001 movie, eventually going on to win an Oscar in 2013. Romano also pointed out that she performed a song titled "Let's Bounce," which was featured in the 2004 sequel The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement.

Romano also discussed looking like Hathaway, 38, and how women in Hollywood can often be pitted against one another while competing for roles.

"It's not fair to pit women against each other," she said in the video. "I think we can all support one another. ... Just because she looks like me doesn't mean we're the same talent. It doesn't mean that she or I have more or less talent."

The star has been increasingly candid about her career in recent YouTube videos, including opening up about being at odds with costar Shia LaBeouf while making Even Stevens as young actors. She also has a video titled "How Katy Perry Got My Record Deal."

Christie Carlson Romano Says She Hasn't Seen Shia LeBeouf In '2 Decades'
Christie Carlson Romano Says She Hasn't Seen Shia LeBeouf In '2 Decades'

Charley Gallay/Getty

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In 2019, Hathaway reflected on her star-making role in Princess Diaries, telling PEOPLE at the time, "Getting the script, it just had that feeling. I touched it, and it was electric."

"Getting to make it and be on set every day, I got to hug Julie Andrews every day. That part was also very, very, very magical. Then it came out and it was received. That part even, by the way, was magical," she added at the time.

She joked that the movie turned her into "a superstar to 6-year-olds," and she acknowledges, "I got very, very, very famous." Hathaway said, "I live my life as if I've won the lottery, not as though I was famous."