Who has not felt the sting of a missed opportunity, especially when you have come so close to your big break? For O’Shea Jackson Jr., the brush with a galaxy far, far away was definitely a bitter pill to swallow—one that the fandom of both Star Wars and the actor can empathize with.
Rising to fame as an actor in F. Gary Gray’s 2015 biopic film, Straight Outta Compton, Jackson Jr.’s talent has been evident. Earlier this year, moreover, his candidness about the disappointment of losing a coveted role in Ron Howard’s 2018 film Solo: A Star Wars Story to Donald Glover was as relatable as it was commendable.
Opening up about the intense audition process, Jackson Jr. reflected on his confidence after multiple auditions for the role of Lando Calrissian, only to experience a letdown when Glover was cast. And that’s not all; this led to an impulsive purge of Childish Gambino tracks from his playlist.
Take note that Glover (actor-singer-rapper) performs under the stage name Childish Gambino.
O’Shea Jackson Jr. Shared His Disappointment Over Missing Out on Star Wars Role
Sometimes, the competition for iconic roles in Tinseltown can be fierce and heart-wrenching. Just ask O’Shea Jackson Jr., who earlier opened up about his frustration with losing out on a legendary Star Wars role to none other than Donald Glover.
In a February interview with Chris Van Vliet, the Straight Outta Compton star, 33, recounted the moment he found out he didn’t land the role of Lando Calrissian in the 2018 film Solo: A Star Wars Story:
“[I auditioned 4 times]. I was like, ‘man, I got this in the bag.’ But when I got the call that Donald Glover got it, I deleted every Childish Gambino song I had.”
It is no secret that Glover, also known by his stage name Childish Gambino, is a multi-talented force to be reckoned with, with impressive acting, music, and creative genius. While it is undoubtedly a down for Jackson Jr. that he did not get the chance to play such an iconic character in the Star Wars universe, he did eventually landed the role of Kawlan Roken in the Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi.
The show featured the return of many prominent Star Wars characters, including Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader. Obi-Wan Kenobi also starred Joel Edgerton, Bonnie Piesse, Jimmy Smits, and Ian McDiarmid in prominent roles.
Did you know, though, that Jackson Jr. felt “crushed” after failing to land the part, and as a result, he wanted to give up acting?
O’Shea Jackson Jr.’s Contemplation of Quitting Acting After (Not Getting Lando Role)
O’Shea Jackson Jr. discussed his “crushed” feeling after a failed Solo: A Star Wars Story audition in an interview with Collider, back in 2021. As an avid fan of Star Wars, he was disappointed that Donald Glover was cast for the Lando Calrissian role.
Because he was so upset, he appeared to want to give up and “go back to being a writer”. In his words:
“Yeah. I was watching Star Wars before I came down here right now. I’m a real big Star Wars fan. I had auditioned for Lando for the Solo film, and when I didn’t get it, it crushed me. I was like, ‘You know what? I quit. I’m going back to being a writer. I’m done’.”
Afterward, though, the actor received a call from Deborah Chow, the director of Obi-Wan Kenobi, offering him the role of Kawlan Roken:
“I was filming Swagger, and my agents were like, ‘Yo, we need you free in the next two days, noon.’ I’m like, ‘All right.’..So I took it, and it was Deb, Lord Deb. Shout out to Lord Deb. Deborah Chow. She gave me an opportunity of a lifetime and it’s a..”
Well, Donald Glover’s film currently holds a 69% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and has also been nominated for Best Visual Effects at the Academy Awards.
Losing out on a role to someone as talented as Glover may have been a tough pill to swallow, but it’s all part of the unpredictable nature of the entertainment industry!
Solo: A Star Wars Story is streaming on Disney+.
