Los Angeles, June 11 Rapper Eminem, who essayed the lead in ‘8 Mile’, had a different plan for his family set-up in the film, largely different from the final outcome.
Music producer Damion “Damizza” Young recently claimed the ‘Spacebound’ rapper, 52, wanted Carey, 56, to play his mother in 8 Mile, despite the five-time Grammy winner being just four years his senior, reports ‘People’ magazine.
Young, who first worked with Carey when he produced her 1998 single “I Still Believe” featuring Krayzie Bone and Da Brat, made the revelation on the latest episode of the ‘TFU Podcast’.
He said he’s responsible for introducing the ‘Obsessed’ singer and Eminem. According to the industry veteran, Carey had recently released ‘Heartbreaker’ with JAY-Z and was doing great in her career, but expressed that she was now interested in taking on a movie role.
As per ‘People’, Young said he was in the process of advising her against signing on to do Glitter, since it was an independent film, when he got a call from Eminem’s camp with the ‘8 Mile’ offer, which he also didn’t necessarily approve of.
Referring to the opportunity as Carey’s "Achilles' heel”, Young felt he was at a crossroads. “'If I don’t say something and then it comes another route in the business or something, then I’m the bad guy’”, he said of his thought process, and the reason he ultimately made the introduction between the two stars.
“So I go to Mariah, and I’m like, ‘Look, Eminem wants to meet you’, and she’s like, ‘No’”, he said of his first attempt. However, once Young told her it was for a movie, she allegedly asked for the rapper’s number.
Young claimed he pleaded with Eminem, saying, “'Don’t do this. I know where you’re going with this’”, making mention of his history with Christina Aguilera. “I’m managing this girl, and it’s gonna cause me a problem”, he warned. Eminem allegedly replied, “'No, I genuinely want her in the movie’”, the music producer recalled.
With all three finally on a call to discuss the role, Young said Carey was told, “'I want you to play my mother’. She did not like that s***at all”, Young said. “Her insecurities kicked in big time”.
Academy Award winner Kim Basinger, now 71, was ultimately cast in the role.
Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor