Latest news with #Gigli
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Seth Rogen Reveals the Audition Tape That Would ‘End' His Career
As Hollywood careers go, Seth Rogen has lived a pretty charmed—and scandal-free—life. And he hopes to keep it that way. But Rogen, who is currently riding high on the success of The Studio, the Apple TV+ cringe comedy he co-created and stars in that skewers Hollywood stereotypes, knows that there is some grainy old footage still possibly floating around out in the world somewhere that could spell an end to his own appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live! last week, Kimmel asked Rogen—who broke out with his very first acting role in Freaks and Geeks back in 1999—about the last time he actually had to audition for a role. The Superbad creator admitted that it had been a while, then shuddered to remember the last time he was forced to do it. 'Thank god it was mostly physical VHS tapes and stuff like that that were being used when I was auditioning for things,' said Rogen. 'Because the things I auditioned for, in retrospect, if they were out there in the world would end my career very, very fast I believe.' When pressed by Kimmel to share an example, Rogen recalled his audition for Gigli, Martin Brest's infamous 2003 crime/rom-com that starred Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez back when they were their first iteration of Bennifer. 'In Gigli, [Affleck and Lopez] are assassins who are sent to watch over a boy who—and this was not the words they used at the time—had a cognitive disability, let's say,' Rogen continued while Kimmel, clearly guessing where the story was going, struggled to compose himself. 'So I, as an aspiring young actor… I auditioned for this boy with a cognitive disability,' Rogen shared. 'And I don't think the script was written in what, by today's standards, would be the most sensitive portrayal of a boy with a cognitive disability. And I also, as a young actor, you know, I didn't get a lot of auditions. The movie was directed by Martin Brest, who did Beverly Hills Cop and Midnight Run. Great director. So I wanted to leave an impression.' At this point, Rogen himself was nearly speechless in recalling the details of what was clearly the mortifying kind of memory that would fit right in with the comedy of The Studio. 'I don't think I wore a helmet into the audition itself,' he said, 'but it was that play. And I'm tempted to do an impression of what I did, but I can't even do it. That's how bad it was. It's so bad, I dare not even portray what I did in this audition—'cause I went for it! I saw myself at the Oscars. I was like, 'This is the clip.'' 'Truthfully,' Rogen admitted, 'if that tape were out in the world today, this would be the last interview you ever saw me do—other than my apology tour.'Finally, Rogen addressed the camera and anyone who might be listening with an earnest plea: 'Please, if you have it: Burn it. Please!' The role in question, a young man named Brian, was ultimately played by Justin Bartha, in his first credited feature film role. Bartha would go on to star in National Treasure and The Hangover movies. Seth Rogen Reveals the Audition Tape That Would 'End' His Career first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 24, 2025
Time of India
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Seth Rogen says his audition for 'Gigli' "would end" his career today
Actor and comedian Seth Rogen recalled the last time he auditioned for a role in 'Gigli' that would have ended his career. Actor and comedian Seth Rogen recalled the last time he auditioned for a role in 'Gigli' that would have ended his career. 'Gigli' is a 2003 American romantic comedy crime film written, co-produced, and directed by Martin Brest, and starring Ben Affleck , Jennifer Lopez , Justin Bartha , Al Pacino, Christopher Walken, and Lainie Kazan. Seth Rogen opened up about his audition for 2003's Gigli and why he's glad the tape of his work is seemingly gone. Rogen auditioned for the role of a "boy with a cognitive disability" in the Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez film. The part ultimately went to Justin Bartha and the film became a notorious critical and commercial flop, reported People. He appeared on the recent episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! and shared, "It has been a long time," adding, "And man, honestly thank God it was mostly physical VHS tapes and stuff like that that was being used when I was auditioning for things, because the things I auditioned for, in retrospect, if they were out there in the world, it would end my career very, very fast, I believe," reported People. "Well, there's a movie called Gigli ... that stars Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez and in the film, they're assassins or something like that," he said. The 2003 romantic crime drama was a notorious critical and commercial flop. "In Gigli, they're assassins who are sent to watch over a boy who -- and this was not the words they used at the time - but had a cognitive disability, let's say," Rogen continued. "And so I, as an aspiring young actor ... I auditioned for this boy with a cognitive disability and I don't think the script was written in what, by today's standards, would be the most sensitive portrayal of a boy with a cognitive disability," reported People. Rogen, who at the time had starred in the TV series Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared, also said that he "didn't get a lot of auditions," and he knew the movie was being helmed by "great director," Martin Brest, who had done Beverly Hills Cop and and Midnight Run. "I don't think I wore a helmet into the audition itself, but it was at play," Rogen said. "And I'm tempted to do an impression of what I did, but I can't even do it! I can't! That's how bad it was! It's so bad I dare not even portray what I did in this audition, because I went for it. I saw myself at the Oscars." "And truthfully if that tape was out in the world today, this would be the last interview you ever saw me do, other than my apology tour," he said. The role Rogen auditioned for, Brian, was ultimately played by Justin Bartha. The A.V. Club wrote in a 2021 article in which they revisited Gigli, "Pretty much everything about the depiction of Brian's disability falls into the 'oh no' category," reported People.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Seth Rogen Admits There Are Old Videos Of Him That Could 'End His Career Very Fast' If Unearthed
Seth Rogen has opened up about his past movie auditions during the start of his career in Hollywood. The actor admitted to being relieved that clips of his auditions from early on would not see the light of day, as they would "end his career very fast." Seth Rogen made mention of one particular audition for a role in a movie starring Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck, and how the role of a boy with a cognitive disability wasn't well written. During an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" Rogen, known for his hit roles in "Superbad," "Knocked Up," and "The 40-Year-Old Virgin," opened up about a particularly regrettable audition from his early days in Hollywood when he was just another struggling actor trying to break into the industry and willing to take any opportunity he could get. Speaking to Kimmel, he said: "Thank god it was mostly physical VHS tapes and stuff like that that was being used when I was auditioning for things. Because the things I auditioned for, in retrospect, if they were out there in the world, they would end my career very, very fast, I believe." The Canadian actor revealed that one early audition he's relieved never saw the light of day, as he believes it could have completely derailed his career, was his audition for the role of Brian, a character with a cognitive disability in the infamous 2003 romantic comedy "Gigli," starring Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck. He admitted that portrayal of the character was not handled with sensitivity in the script or his performance, saying: "I don't think the script was written in what, by today's standards, would be the most sensitive portrayal of a boy with a cognitive disability." Recalling the audition, Rogen admitted he was so embarrassed by his performance that he couldn't even bring himself to reenact it for the audience. "I'm tempted to do an impression of what I did and can't even do it," he confessed, per the Daily Mail. "That's how bad it was. Truthfully, if that tape were out today, this would be the last video you see of me today - outside of my apology tour." Rogen even joked that he would go to extreme lengths to make sure the tape never resurfaces. "Please, if you have it, burn it. Please sell it to me. I will buy it," he said. Ultimately, the role went to Justin Bartha. "Gigli" would go on to become one of the biggest box office flops of the early 2000s, pulled from theaters just three weeks after its release due to overwhelmingly negative reviews and poor ticket sales. In 2023, Rogen spoke about his successful movie career and shared how his and his wife's decision not to have children had a positive impact on their lives. "That has helped me succeed as well, definitely," he shared during an appearance on the "Diary of A CEO" podcast with Steven Bartlett. "There's a whole huge thing I'm not doing, which is raising children." Rogen continued by saying that the choice was not made accidentally because he and his wife had always discussed it, and that, at the moment, they are "grateful" they don't have kids. "Some people want kids, some people don't want kids," he explained. "Honestly, you just are told, 'You go through life, you get married, you have kids.' That's what happens. And me and my wife, neither of us were like that." Rogen continued, "Honestly, the older we get, the more happy and reaffirmed we are with our choice to not have kids." According to Rogen, one benefit of not having kids is gaining the freedom to pursue any interests he and his wife may have. "Now more than anything, the conversation is like, 'Honestly, thank God we don't have children.' We get to do whatever we want, we're in the prime of our lives," he said. The actor continued by listing his and his wife's numerous accomplishments with children out of the pictures, noting that he has more free time than his friends and colleagues, who are parents. "I'm not saying that kids don't bring them joy," he acknowledged. "But Me and my wife seem to get a lot more active enjoyment out of not having kids than anyone I know seems to get out of having kids." Rogen's comments about his past auditions come on the heels of his jokes about Donald Trump, which were cut from the broadcast of April's Breakthrough Prize ceremony, one of the world's most prestigious science award shows. Often referred to as the "Oscars of Science," the high-profile event honors exceptional achievements in scientific research and is backed by some of the most prominent names in the tech world, including Google co-founder Sergey Brin and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. While presenting a special prize in fundamental physics alongside actor Edward Norton, Rogen reportedly took aim at Trump. According to The Hollywood Reporter, he quipped to the elite audience: "It's amazing that others [who have been] in this room underwrote electing a man who, in the last week, single-handedly destroyed all of American science." The "Pineapple Express" star went on to say, "It's amazing how much good science you can destroy with $320m and RFK Jr, very fast." However, despite being delivered at a live event, the jokes were notably absent from the so-called "full" YouTube upload of the ceremony.
Buzz Feed
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Seth Rogen Said Gigli Audition Could End His Career
For many actors, auditioning for some questionable roles is an inevitable part of trying to get their big break in Hollywood. And during a recent interview with Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Rogen recalled one of his early auditions that was memorable for all the wrong reasons. During the conversation, Jimmy asked Seth whether he still auditions for projects, prompting the star and creator of The Studio to reflect on how times have changed in the industry. 'It has been a long time,' Seth said. 'And thank god it was mostly physical VHS tapes and stuff like that that was being used when I was auditioning for things, because the things I auditioned for, in retrospect, if they were out there in the world, they would end my career very, very fast, I believe.' Jimmy encouraged Seth to give one example, and the actor obliged, recalling the time that he 'auditioned for this boy with a cognitive disability' in the 2003 movie, Gigli, which starred Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez. As you may know, Gigli has been criticized for several reasons, not least for its plot, which followed Ben's character, a hitman named Larry, being hired to kidnap someone with a mental disability. The role eventually went to Justin Bartha, and, in hindsight, Seth recalled that the script was not 'written in what, by today's standards, would be the most sensitive portrayal of a boy with a cognitive disability.' Looking back at his ill-fated audition, Seth said he wanted to 'leave an impression' as an aspiring young actor. 'I don't think I wore a helmet into the audition itself, but it was at play,' he said. 'And I'm tempted to do an impression of what I did, but I can't even do it. I can't! That's how bad it was! It's so bad. I dare not even portray what I did in this audition.' 'I went for it. I saw myself at the Oscars,' he continued, as Jimmy laughed so hard he could barely speak. 'Truthfully, if that tape was out in the world today, this would be the last interview you ever saw me do. Other than, like, my apology tour. Please, if you have it, burn it. Please sell it to me. I will buy it from you.' I think we can safely say that Seth missing out on that role was no huge loss for his career. The movie was a critical and commercial flop, grossing just $7.2 million worldwide. And today, it's perhaps best remembered as the film that sparked and Ben's decade-spanning love story. In 2022, Ben reflected on the Gigli's unfortunate legacy as 'a disaster,' telling Entertainment Weekly: 'It was a movie that didn't work… The funny name, the Jennifer Lopez romance, and overexposure of that, it was kind of a perfect storm. And I remember talking to Marty [Brest, the director] the Friday it came out, and I was like, it's just spectacular, it's a tsunami, it couldn't be worse. This is as bad as it gets.' Ben also acknowledged the 'ableist' themes in the plot, saying: 'The way we see stuff has changed a little bit, or a lot in some cases. And there are things that seemed they could work at the time and don't in retrospect.' Well, we live and we learn. You can find Seth's full appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live here.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Seth Rogen reveals the one audition tape that will 'end his career' if it is ever released after reading script for notorious 2003 flop
Seth Rogen believes his acting career would be in ruins if one of his old audition tapes saw the light of day. The actor became a household name after starring in a series of risque comedies throughout the 2000s - among them Superbad, Knocked Up and The 40 Year Old Virgin. But Rogen believes an audition tape he made before establishing himself in Hollywood could result in his cancellation should it be viewed retrospectively by a younger generation of fans. Appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the Canadian star, 43, revealed he once auditioned for the role of Brian in notorious 2003 flop Gigli, a poorly received romantic comedy starring Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck. He recalled: 'Thank god it was mostly physical VHS tapes and stuff like that that was being used when I was auditioning for things. 'Because the things I auditioned for, in retrospect, if they were out there in the world, they would end my career very, very fast, I believe.' He added: 'I auditioned for this boy with a cognitive disability. And I don't think the script was written in what, by today's standards, would be the most sensitive portrayal of a boy with a cognitive disability.' Rogen threw himself into the portrayal because he 'didn't get a lot of auditions' and was 'an aspiring young actor' - but admitted to being so ashamed that he couldn't reenact it for Kimmel's studio audience. 'I'm tempted to do an impression of what I did and I can't even do it,' he said. 'That's how bad it was. Truthfully, if that tape was out today, this would be the last video you see of me today - outside of my apology tour. 'Please, if you have it, burn it. Please sell it to me. I will buy it.' The role would ultimately go to Justin Bartha - but it would be a lucky escape for Rogan, with the film being pulled from US cinemas after just three weeks following disastrous box office returns and scathing reviews. The admission comes after Rogen's jokes about US president Donald Trump were cut out of the broadcast of one of the most prestigious science awards shows in the world. The Pineapple Express actor and writer was presenting an award during April's Breakthrough prize ceremony, a heavily-funded awards programme that aims to recognise 'outstanding scientific achievements'. The programme, which describes itself as the 'Oscars of science ', was co-founded by many of the world's biggest tech founders including Google co-founder Sergey Brin and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Rogen reportedly cracked some harsh jokes at the US president's expense as he and actor Edward Norton presented a special prize in fundamental physics to Gerardus 't Hooft. According to the Hollywood Reporter he addressed the audience, which included Brin and Zuckerberg as well as Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, said: 'It's amazing that others [who have been] in this room underwrote electing a man who, in the last week, single-handedly destroyed all of American science.' He added: 'It's amazing how much good science you can destroy with $320m and RFK Jr, very fast.' But the jokes were not included in the 'full' YouTube upload of the ceremony. Breakthrough told the Hollywood Reporter: 'This year's ceremony lasted longer than the prior few years, and several edits were made in order to meet the originally planned run time.' Rogen's joke appeared to take aim at how quickly Silicon Valley founders cosied up to Trump after he won the White House. Zuckerberg, Bezos and Altman donated $1million (£760,000) each to Trump's inauguration committee after he was elected.
