5 Famous Singers Lady Gaga Competed With to Star in 'A Star is Born' (1 Wasn't Interested & the Studio Couldn't Afford Another)

Lady Gaga stole the show with her performance in A Star is Born, but it turns out that several other big singers were considered for the role before she was cast.

Her portrayal of singer/songwriter Ally Maine alongside Bradley Cooper earned Gaga her first Oscar win and laid the groundwork for future roles, including Joker: Folie a Deux.

The lead in A Star is Born is a storied part to land, and it’s been played by the greats in the past. This made it an even bigger accomplishment for Mother Monster!

The first version of the movie was released in 1937 and starred Janet Gaynor; the second came out in 1954 with Judy Garland in the lead. Barbra Streisand took center stage in the version of the movie released in 1976.

A fourth version of A Star is Born had been in the works for years with various talent associated with it by the time that Gaga was cast. That included five other female vocalists who could have landed the starring role. One of them was even attached to the movie at least twice, with reports suggesting that she wasn’t selected because the studio couldn’t afford her asking price.

Who were they and what happened that led to them being overlooked? We did some digging to see who else could have landed her first big acting role!

Scroll through all of the musical acts that were considered for Lady Gaga’s part in A Star Is Born…