Seth Rogen has revealed how he and Jason Segel tried to help each other get cast in “8 Mile,” calling the experience the “craziest audition of my life.”
Rogen appeared opposite Olivia Wilde in the latest episode of “The A24 Podcast.” The two star together with Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton in the new dramedy “The Invite,” which Wilde also directed. During their podcast conversation, the two reminisced together about the early years of their career.
Wilde noted that she worked at one point as a casting assistant for late casting director Mali Finn, whom Rogen remembered because of his brief interaction with her during the casting process for “8 Mile,” the 2002 drama starring Eminem and based on the rapper’s experiences growing up in Detroit.
“I only remember her because she’s responsible for the craziest audition of my life,” Rogen said of Finn, telling Wilde that he auditioned to play “a guy called Cheddar or something, maybe.” The role in question, “Cheddar Bob,” was ultimately played in “8 Mile” by actor Evan Jones.
“What’s funny — and I guess, if you were her casting assistant, this also makes sense and adds up — is that I was told beforehand, because the scenes were with other rappers, we got a fax or some s—t beforehand being like, ‘No one in this office feels comfortable reading the other roles. So you have to bring someone to read with you,’” Rogen recalled, remarking, “Like we all had a rapper on standby, a reading rapper.”
Rogen ended up calling in the help of Segel, his former “Freaks and Geeks” co-star, to read the other half of his scenes with him.
“I found out Jason Segel also had an audition for it, and so we just went with each other, and then one of us did it and then we switched to the other one,” Rogen explained. “We both started laughing. I started laughing uncontrollably to the point I was just like … It was too stupid.”
“8 Mile” is best known now for being the source of “Lose Yourself,” a popular rap track that Eminem wrote and performed for the film. After the movie’s release, the track went on to win the Oscar for Best Original Song.
You can listen to the full “A24 Podcast” episode here.
The post Seth Rogen Recalls How Jason Segel Helped With His Failed ‘8 Mile’ Audition: ‘It Was Too Stupid’ appeared first on TheWrap.
