Michael Jackson wanted to play Jar Jar Binks in Star Wars

The King of Pop nearly played the most obnoxious character in a galaxy far, far away. Before voice actor Ahmed Best was cast as Jar Jar Binks in the Star Wars prequel trilogy, Michael Jackson tried to score the role.

In a 2015 interview with Vice, Best recalls being introduced to Jackson by George Lucas as “Jar Jar” backstage at a London concert. When he confronted Lucas about his wording, the director explained.

“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.”

Although the cast of The Phantom Menace had several A-list stars – Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor and Natalie Portman, to name a few — Best speculates that Jackson’s overwhelming presence would have potentially derailed the film’s focus.

“My guess is ultimately Michael Jackson would have been bigger than the movie, and I don’t think [George Lucas] wanted that.”

In his lifetime, Michael Jackson appeared in a handful of films, most of which were self-produced.

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