Скачать или смотреть River Phoenix at the auditions for "A River Runs Through It"

River auditioned for the role of Paul Maclean but he was not selected and the role went to Brad Pitt.

[...] Every day of my life since I've finished My Own Private Idaho, at some point in the day, I find the conversation somehow goes back to that film because it was such a great experience. I just start getting all joyous about it and start blabbing about it, so... but if you can believe it, there's a project out there that I feel just as strongly about, even though there's a good chance I might not be involved." He's talking about the Robert Redford project A River Runs Through It. "It's a great script. Just the best script that I've read that's come out of Hollywood in a long time. I auditioned - me and about a thousand other guys. It was a nice audition and I haven't auditioned in a while. I thought I'd be nervous...you guys don't smoke do you?"
The Redford project has River in a lather. His eyes sweep the room for smoke, someone to bum a cigarette from. Eventually, he relents and buys a pack, smoking one with guilty little puffs aimed up at the place where the name of his favorite TV journalist has yet to materialize."I had a really good talk, good meeting with Redford but I think he's gonna find the guy. The guy who just is that image-that Montana mountain boy, fly fisherman image. That's what I think he should do. I believe so strongly in it, I just want the best guy for it. If I get it, great. If I don't, I wasn't right for it."

— Movieline Magazine (1991)

Shadow Casting: The Making Of "A River Runs Through It"