Rapper died before getting the chance to audition
Gaby Whitehill

09:07 8th January 2014

It's been revealed that late rapper Tupac Shakur was allegedly asked to audition for the role of Jedi Mace Windu in Star Wars Episode I, by director George Lucas.

Rick Clifford, a former collaborator of Shakur's and former Chief Engineer of Death Row Records, told 2Pac-Forum.com: "[Tupac] was telling me that he was supposed to read for George Lucas and [Lucasfilm]. They wanted him to be a Jedi."

Unfortunately, Shakur died in 1996 before he had the chance to audition for the sci-fi franchise instalment. Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace was then released in 1999, with the role of Mace Windu played by Samuel L Jackson - who Shakur co-starred with in 1992 film Juice.

Watch the video for Tupac's 'Keep Your Head Up' below:

As well as rapping, Shakur enjoyed a successful acting career before his death. He starred in a number of films throughout the 90s, including Gang Related, Above the Rim, Bullet and Poetic Justice.

Below: Star Wars recast - which music stars could replace the classic characters?

 

  • Both Ozzy Osbourne and Chewbacca are covered in hair - and neither of them make much sense when speaking out loud.

  • One Direction are the perfect Ewoks! Tiny, cute, fluffy and overexcited, it's very difficult to tell the difference between the two.

  • Can you hear the Imperial Death March? Starting off good (sort of) and quickly turning bad, Morrissey hates absolutely everything including fun and joy - and Darth Vader feels the same.

  • Emperor Palpatine seems to be a good-natured, polite and modest person - and yet plots in secret to take over the galaxy. What's lurking behind Matt Bellamy's outward appearance? We wouldn't be surprised if one day Muse took over the universe.

  • Very small and very squeaky, with a tendency to dress all in white - it's J2B2. This could quickly catch on.

  • Weird facepaint, horns that don't seem to serve any purpose and thoroughly unpleasant - Gene Simmons and Darth Maul are clearly one and the same.

  • Lady Gaga and Queen Amidala look like they've been swapping fashion tips - and her majesty wouldn't look out of place at your average ArtRAVE.

  • One is incredibly annoying, thinks he's hilarious when he isn't and just won't go away despite being generally disliked. The other is Jar Jar Binks.

  • Squeaky clean and over earnest, Conor Maynard is the kind of fresh-faced youth that resembles a young Luke Skywalker shooting womp rats.

  • Sleazy and creepy, with a habit of not treating women particularly well, we think that Chris Brown and Jabba the Hut probably have more in common than either of them would like to admit.

  • Obi-Wan Kenobi influenced the events of the entire galaxy and had a long and tumultuous career... just like Bob Dylan. It's also easier to get an interview with Obi-Wan.

  • Who runs the galaxy? Girls.

  • Both have a gift for the one liner and share an acute awareness of the ridiculous situations their ability has placed them in. Put it this way: Turner would have shot Greedo first.

  • Camp, mildly annoying and a little bit shiny - there's no doubt that X Factor's Rylan Clark has to be C-3PO.

  • Admiral Ackbar has one memorable line - "It's a trap!" - that quickly became a cult hit and ended up being all he's known for. We're sure that Psy and Gagnam Style share some similarities there.

  • Wise, experienced and with years in the business - there's no doubt that Paul McCartney is the Yoda of the music world.


Photo: WENN