MB, are you referring to the pilot screenplay (which to be fair, is what an actress interested in the role would have been sent to read), or the final cut as shown at the Festival?
Not in any way to slight Barbara Steele because I love her and I love her as Julia, but strictly comparing the two pilots, yes, I'm saying I think that in her two scenes that made it into the '04 pilot, Julia was given more interesting things to say and do in the '04 pilot than she was in the pilot for the '91 series.
Though as for casting material, I don't believe anything from either pilot script was used when Julia was being cast. I'm pretty sure I read where material in which Julia confronts Barn and offers him a cure was used. I also believe the same holds true for casting Barn.
I don't even recall the Alec Newman scene that's on Youtube from that original screening; just that I thought Newman was really quite exceptional in the role
I definitely agree.