Was Michael Jackson rejected for a role in ‘Star Wars’?
It may seem like a natural fit, but Hollywood doesn’t always offer a safe haven of artistry for musicians. Many music icons have tried to make the jump into the world of cinema, and some of them have fared very well, just like David Bowie, who ended up working with pioneers such as Nicolas Roeg and Nagisa Ōshima, among others. For Michael Jackson, things did not pan out the same way, even though he achieved unprecedented stardom in the film industry.
Jackson, for all his many problematic issues, was a massive name in the 20th-century pop scene. First with Jackson 5, then in his own mind-blowing solo career, the ‘King of Pop’ was the undoubted ruler of the MTV generation. His music videos, tour VHS tapes, and the accompanying announcement films he made for his albums were all pioneering in how they placed visuals slap back in the middle of Jackson’s audio experience. Whether it was the game-changing videos for ‘Thriller’, ‘Black or White’ or ‘Bad’ or the tapes for the Dangerous Tour, Jackson cherished the movie medium and was always keen to place himself on the silver screen.
However, despite his many attempts, the pop star never managed to see his name up in the lights at his local movie theatre. Jackson had appeared in a string of strange projects, such as the bizarre 1996 short film Michael Jackson’s Ghosts, which was actually co-written by the modern master of horror, Stephen King. But a short film wasn’t enough for the always-ambitious star. Instead, Jackson had his eyes on a particular character in an upcoming movie that would soon become one of the most infamous entities in the franchise’s universe.
According to the reports that have surfaced since then, Jackson spoke to George Lucas about starring in The Phantom Menace. It may seem a little strange, but the original trilogy of movies was undoubtedly a monumental cinematic event for those of Jackson’s age. So perhaps it isn’t so ludicrous to request the opportunity to be a Jedi.
Perhaps the most unusual thing was Jackson had a specific role in mind that he wanted to play, and that was none other than the most annoying Gungan in Star Wars history – Jar Jar Binks – who is now regarded as a popular culture icon.
Cited as the first completely CGI supporting character in a live-action project, Jar Jar Binks evokes visceral reactions from fans of the franchise and has even been looked at as a racist caricature by several cultural scholars and commentators. The role eventually went to Ahmed Best, who had to process the consequences of voicing the most hated Star Wars character in existence.
According to Best, he only found out about the fact that Jackson had initially wanted to play Jar Jar Binks in makeup because he was at Wembley Arena for a Michael Jackson concert with Natalie Portman and George Lucas. When Lucas introduced Best as Jar Jar Binks to Jackson, the music icon replied dejectedly: “Oh. OK”.
Best recalled: “After Michael had driven off, we all go back up to a big after-party. I’m having a drink with George, and I said, ‘Why did you introduce me as Jar Jar?’ He said, ‘Well, Michael wanted to do the part, but he wanted to do it in prosthetics and makeup like Thriller. George wanted to do it in CGI. My guess is, ultimately, Michael Jackson would have been bigger than the movie, and I don’t think he wanted that.”
Over the years, the sheer number of Star Wars cameos suggested Jackson had a good shout at claiming a role in the picture. However, the idea of such a giant, polarising star in the guise of what was supposed to be a lovable sidekick was too much for Lucas to comprehend. On reflection, it was likely best for all involved that we didn’t hear the words “Ye gods, whatta meesa sayin? Hee hee!”
