Josh Hutcherson, actor of The Hunger Games and Bridge to Terabithia, recently revealed a shocking fact about his early acting career: he auditioned for one of the Home Alone films.

In an interview with BuzzFeed, Hutcherson stated that he was only 11 years old when he auditioned for the role, and it came down to him and the other finalists.

“I was probably 11, I think, when I auditioned for it,” Hutcherson said. “It got down to me and the other guy. That was the first time that I tasted rejection, so that was really hard.”

Hutcherson did not identify which Home Alone movie he auditioned for, although considering his age at the time, it was most likely one of the franchise’s later installments, such as Home Alone 3 (1997) or Home Alone 4: Lost in Time (2002). While it’s difficult to envision anyone else playing Kevin McCallister, it’s interesting to consider what would have happened if Hutcherson had landed the job.

Hutcherson went on to have a great career in Hollywood, appearing in several blockbusters. However, the Home Alone audition left a lasting impression on him.

“It was a big deal for me at the time,” he told me. “I was so excited to get that close. And then to not get it, it was like, ‘Oh, wow, this is what rejection feels like.’”