Ahmed Best, the actor who played Jar Jar Binks, has revealed that he had some unlikely competition for his ‘Star Wars’ role, from Michael Jackson. Yes, really.
During a chat with Vice, Ahmed recalled a bizarre moment, where he was backstage at one of Michael’s gigs with George Lucas and his family, and Natalie Portman.
It would have been quite something...
“We were at Wembley Arena at Michael Jackson’s concert. We were taken backstage and we met Michael. There was Michael and Lisa Marie [Presley],” Ahmed explained.
Ahmed then quizzed the director, who revealed why he’d used the actor’s character’s name.
“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.”
Ahmed Best
The whole thing is very bizarre, isn’t it?
While ‘Star Wars’ remains one of the most successful movie franchises of all-time, it’s widely acknowledged that Jar Jar is probably the most-hated character.
JJ Abrams, who’s directed the upcoming movie ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’, previously revealed that he’s thinking of killing off the foolish gungan, telling Vanity Fair: “I have a thought about putting Jar Jar Binks’s bones in the desert there.
“I’m serious! Only three people will notice, but they’ll love it.”