Warning: Mild SPOILERS lie ahead for IT: Welcome to Derry’s first two episodes!Stephen Rider is helping to explore a new chapter in Stephen King’s universe with IT: Welcome To Derry, but he apparently came “really close” to playing another iconic character in the franchise. The HBO series serves as a prequel to Andy Muschietti’s two-part film adaptation and the flashback elements of King’s novel, being set in 1962 in the eponymous town as various people find themselves tormented by Pennywise and his various hauntings.

In honor of the show’s premiere, ScreenRant‘s Ash Crossan interviewed Stephen Rider to discuss IT: Welcome to Derry. When asked about his audition process for the premiere, Rider reveals he previously auditioned to star in IT Chapter Two, and came “really close” to landing a part in the horror sequel. The star went on to recall that his efforts for a part in the second installment went so far as screen testing and having conversations with Andy and Barbara Muschietti, only to, as he quips, “clearly not get it“. However, his experience with the producing team was so positive that the director expressed his hopes to “work with you in future projects“, bringing things full-circle when Welcome to Derry casting began. See the rest of what Rider shared below:

Six years later, the audition came, and I knew what he liked. I auditioned for it, got the part, dreams come true. It was a dream come true, and I’m so happy to be part of it.

Rider, who first found success with turns in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Daredevil and Luke Cage shows, as well as the CBS police procedural Instinct, was introduced in IT: Welcome to Derry as Hank Grogan, the projectionist for the local movie theater and father to Veronica “Ronnie” Grogan. The first two episodes have seen Grogan come under suspicion for the deaths and disappearances of Teddy, Phil and Susie, with episode 2, in particular, seeing him arrested by the police for them.

Though he doesn’t specify which IT Chapter Two role he had auditioned for and gotten “really close” to landing, the most likely option seems to be of Mike Hanlon, the Losers Club member who brings the group back to Derry as adults after determining Pennywise is back. Future Cross star Isaiah Mustafa ultimately got the roll, with Rider recently sharing in another interview that the decision was made in an effort to have a more “weathered” version of Mike in the film.

Despite his initially missing out on the franchise, though, Rider eventually being approached for IT: Welcome to Derry is a heartwarming full-circle story for the star. Not only does it confirm the Muschiettis are filmmakers true to their word, but has also given Rider more material to dig into with an eight-episode series instead of a two-and-a-half-hour movie. Plus, with Welcome to Derry scoring better reviews than Chapter Two, and off to a major viewership start, the wait looks to have been worth it for Rider.