Michael Jackson Wanted to Play Professor X in X-MEN

David Hayter recently talks to THR about the early days of the movie X-Men (2000), There were some exciting happening in the early development of the movie. For example, celebrities were coming up left and right hoping for a chance to be cast in the film, most prominently Michael Jackson!

David Hayter explained:

I was writing it for the comic book characters. I was brought on as they were casting, so I was lucky enough to be there for some of the people who came in like Terence Stamp for Xavier and Janet Jackson and Mariah Carey for Storm. Michael Jackson came in because he wanted to play Professor X. It was amazing. Shaq came in. Viggo Mortensen came in. I really liked Viggo for Wolverine, but it didn’t come together for whatever reason. Angela Bassett was our first choice for Storm, but her agents wanted more money than we had at the time. Same with Rachael Leigh Cook for Rogue.

Ultimately, I think we can all agree that it’s a good thing that MJ didn’t get the role of Charles Xavier, Angela Bassett might have fit the mantle of Storm at least look wise better than Halle Berry. I can’t imagine king of pop Michael Jackson playing Charles Xavier!