In 1936, Columbia Pictures purchased a group of scripts, including the script for "Holiday", from RKO for $80,000. Although the film was originally intended to reunite "The Awful Truth" co-stars Cary Grant and Irene Dunne, George Cukor decided to cast Hepburn instead, and Columbia borrowed her from RKO, where she had just turned down the lead role in "Mother Carey's Chickens". Joan Bennett and Ginger Rogers were considered to play Hepburn's role, and Rita Hayworth was tested for the role of Julia.