The young and talented cast of Glee featured some of the brightest rising stars on the scene when the musical series debuted in 2009.

They perfectly embodied the plucky underdogs who won hearts with their musical abilities and tight bond. However, the lineup of the New Directions could have looked very different. In the years since Glee debuted, we’ve learned that a slew of actors auditioned for the show and didn’t get cast.

Some cast members even auditioned for different parts before they were placed in the perfect role.

For instance, many actors who eventually joined the show did so after auditioning to play football star turned choir champion Finn Hudson, a role that ultimately went to Cory Monteith. Several popular actresses also auditioned to play the big-voiced Rachel Berry before Lea Michele was cast.

You won’t believe which actress was in the running to play Sue Sylvester, the lead antagonist, either!

We did some digging and rounded up all of the stars who auditioned for the show. The list includes a pop superstar who was originally supposed to play Mr. Schue, a reality star who went into the audition knowing that they couldn’t sing and so many other surprising names.

Click inside to see all of the stars who were almost a part of Glee or auditioned for very different parts than what they got…