Annasophia Robb initially turned down the coveted lead role in the upcoming Sex & The City prequel because she didn't want to commit to a long-term TV job.

The Charlie & The Chocolate Factory star nearly missed out on playing a young Carrie Bradshaw because she didn't want to be tied down to a long-running show.

But the 19-year-old actress decided to sign up for the The Carrie Diaries after reading the script for the project, which is set in a high school in the 1980s.

She tells Teen Vogue magazine, "When I was younger, I didn't want to be on TV. I made a conscious decision to stay away from Nickelodeon and the Disney Channel - not that they're not great companies, but because I wanted to play different kinds of roles and have the freedom to choose my projects.

"So when my agent called about this job, I said no way. TV was too much of a commitment. I realized it was actually a really strong story. It had a lot of heart and integrity, and Carrie seems like a character that I can grow with."

Sarah Jessica Parker made the role of Bradshaw famous in the Sex & The City franchise.