Washington DC, Jan. 2 -- Actor Ethan Slater has recalled how an unusual comment from a casting director helped him land his breakout role as SpongeBob SquarePants in The SpongeBob Musical, which later went on to earn him a Tony Award nomination, according to People.

Speaking during an interaction at his alma mater, Vassar College, the 'Wicked' star shared memories of auditioning for the musical, which was based on the popular Nickelodeon animated series. Slater said his journey began after he auditioned for Romeo and Juliet in New York, where he met casting director Erica Jensen of Calleri Casting.

Following that audition, Slater received a call from casting director Paul Davis about a workshop project that had not yet been named. Recal...