“I’m so worried about getting it right”—When Kaitlyn Dever opened up about getting "nervous" while auditioning

American actress Kaitlyn Dever shared that despite her success in the entertainment industry, she still gets nervous while auditioning for roles. In an interview with Laura Albert for ContentMode on January 14, 2020, the actress shared that she is skeptical about getting the part right.

Talking about the pressures of the film industry, Denver said:

"I’ve actually been the person who gets extremely nervous for auditions, because I’m so worried about getting it right."

For the unversed, Dever is known for her performances in TV series such as Justified (2011), Last Man Standing (2011), Unbelievable (2019), and Dopesick (2021). Her work in Unbelievable and Dopesick earned her Golden Globe nominations.

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Kaitlyn Dever on audition anxiety

Kaitlyn Denver talked about performance anxiety (Image via Instagram/@kaitlyndever)

Dever opened up about her struggles with audition anxiety in the same interview. When asked about the experience of fully immersing herself in a character, Kaitlyn Dever admitted that auditions have always been a nerve-wracking process for her.

"It’s the fear of the unknown, not knowing what they think, what they like," Denver responded.

However, she said that once she is on set, the pressure eases. She explained:

"For me there’s a sense of comfort once I get on set, because I can take that pressure off and know, okay I was chosen for a reason, I trust that they trust me. I think it also has a lot to do with growing up – especially in my teen years."

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Kaitlyn Dever on her advocacies and the Debbie Smith Act

Dever also reflected on how personal challenges shaped her early career, revealing that while filming Justified, she was also coping with her mother’s stage 4 breast cancer diagnosis.

Beyond acting, Kaitlyn Dever has been vocal about important social issues. When asked about her visit to Congress to advocate for the Debbie Smith Act, she described the experience as deeply moving. She recalled:

"[W]e were talking to members of Congress all day, and then in the evening we had a screening and a discussion afterwards. The screening took place where the Kavanaugh hearings were held. Our screening was in that room. It was really surreal."

Women's Health magazine reported on September 26, 2019, that Dever urged Congress in 2019 to pass the Debbie Smith Act—a bill aimed at addressing the backlog of thousands of unanalyzed r*pe kits.

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What’s new and what’s next for Kaitlyn Dever?

Kaitlyn Dever earned nominations for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role for Dopesick in 2022 and Best Performance by an Actress for Unbelievable in 2020. In January 2024, she was officially cast as Abby in the second season of The Last of Us.

Deadline reported in January 2025 that Dever is in talks to join the Legendary’s Monsterverse franchise—a follow-up to Godzilla x Kong. Moreover, she will be seen in the Netflix's upcoming miniseries Apple Cider Vinegar, portraying an Australian wellness influencer Belle Gibson. It is set to premiere on Netflix in February 2025.