#Michael B. Jordan Bombed His Star Wars Audition and Calls It His Worst to Date

In another reality, Michael B. Jordan could have been a big part of Star Wars. The pages of Hollywood history are littered with alternate versions of movies that could have been. We will always be left to wonder if they would have been better or worse had things gone another way. One recent addition to this never-ending collection of things to ponder came from Jordan, the star of Creed and Black Panther. As it turns out, the actor auditioned to be in The Force Awakens. Though, by his account, it didn’t go well.

Michael B. Jordan has been making the rounds as of late to promote Without Remorse, his new Tom Clancy thriller on Amazon. During a recent interview, he was asked about his worst audition. Jordan determined that it was for J.J. Abrams while trying out for the role of Finn in The Force Awakens. Here’s what Jordan had to say about it.
RELATED: Tom Holland Auditioned for a Star Wars Role That Would Have Changed The Force Awakens

“It was probably the Star Wars audition that I had with JJ [Abrams], I think. It just wasn’t my best. It was probably my worst to date.”

Ultimately, it was John Boyega who would go on to play Finn, aka FN-2187, alongside Daisy Ridley’s Rey in Episode VII. This was the first new Star Wars movie under the Disney era and, to say the least of it, landing that role would have been a huge deal for any actor. We also heard recently from our current Spider-Man, Tom Holland, that he also auditioned for the role of Finn. Similarly, he explained that it didn’t go well. As Michael B. Jordan tells it, the secrecy of the audition process didn’t help matters.

“I just couldn’t wrap my brain around some of the sides. When you’re reading for these high-level projects, there’s never really any specificity in the sides. Everything is super gray and a secret. Reading it through, I just couldn’t connect it. Definitely bombed that one, for sure…I’m pretty sure I ran out of there.”

At that time, Michael B. Jordan was very much an up-and-coming star, having appeared in movies like Fruitvale Station as well as the acclaimed series Friday Night Lights. He wasn’t quite the A-list star we know him as today. Had he landed a major part in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, it all would have been different. Maybe we don’t get Creed. Maybe he doesn’t play Killmonger in Black Panther. Maybe John Boyega doesn’t become a breakout star in his own right. It’s a road paved with interesting questions.

In the end, it all worked out just fine for all involved. The Force Awakens made more than $2 billion and successfully reintroduced Star Wars to the masses. Michael B. Jordan found another route to Hollywood’s A-list and has since starred in hits such as Creed, Creed II and Black Panther. Next up, Jordan will cut his teeth as a director stepping behind the camera for Creed III. This news comes to us via Variety.

Topics: Force Awakens, Star Wars