You might be surprised to learn that Michael Jackson wanted to play Jar Jar Binks in the Star Wars prequels, according to Ahmed Best, the actor who played the lovable, but controversial comedic relief of Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace. Hit the jump to find out about Ahmad’s awkward encounter with MJ and what George Lucas told him!
Ahmed Best said this in his interview:
“That’s what George told me. Me, Natalie Portman, and George’s kids — 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). George introduced me as ‘Jar Jar’ and I was like, That’s kind of weird. Michael was like, ‘Oh. OK.’ I thought, What is going on? After Michael had driven off, we all go back up to a big afterparty. 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.”
Ahmad Best ultimately got the role of Jar Jar Binks. He first played Jar Jar in 1999’s Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace and repressed in two sequels as well as the Clone Wars animated series.
Source|| Huffpost
