Michael Jackson had set his sights on the role of Professor Xavier in the film in the late 1990s X-Men, writes The Hollywood Reporter.
Jackson had planned a meeting with director Bryan Singer at the time, producer Lauren Shuler remembers. “I said to Michael, ‘Do you know that Xavier is an old white man?’ He replied, “Oh yes, I can still wear makeup.”
The singer left to emphasize his words, including the short film Ghosts in which he plays a white mayor in his sixties. According to The Hollywood Reporter Jackson was never considered a serious option for the role of Professor Xavier, who was eventually filled in by Patrick Stewart.
X-Men was the beginning of a franchise. More than ten films have been released, including spin-offs. The last part, X-Men: Dark Phoenix, came out last year.
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