A surprising Hollywood story surfaced on Monday while Sean “Diddy” Combs sat in federal court. During sworn testimony, his former assistant told jurors that the music mogul once auditioned for the leading role in the 2014 biopic Get On Up. The film told the life story of James Brown, the Godfather of Soul, and later won praise for the late Chadwick Boseman’s electrifying performance.
According to the assistant, Diddy wanted the part so badly that he turned the try-out into a full production. She said the two of them spent more than a week preparing lines, rehearsing dance moves, and perfecting James Brown’s famous raspy voice. Costumes, lighting, and a small camera crew were even brought in to make the audition tape look like a polished short film rather than a simple reading. The assistant testified that she still owns a copy of the tape.
The court revelation shocked many fans who did not know Diddy had chased such a major acting role. Though Diddy had appeared in movies like Monster’s Ball and Get Him to the Greek, playing James Brown would have been a much larger challenge. In the end, the part went to Chadwick Boseman, who earned critical acclaim and helped the movie earn more than 30 million dollars worldwide.