10 Actors Who Refused To Use CGI
2. Michael Jackson Wanted To Be Live-Action Jar Jar Binks In The Phantom Menace
As it goes, the legendary King of Pop also was not a lover of CGI, highlighted in this being something of a dealbreaker when mulling over a future in a galaxy far, far away...
The iconic music megastar was said to be a massive fan of George Lucas' first trilogy of Star Wars epics and was desperate to put his own spin on the now-divisive role of Jar Jar Binks for the incoming Prequel set of flicks. However, there was just one problem the mind behind the galaxy couldn't get around; that being the fact Michael was intent on playing the part in as practical a way as possible.
As revealed by eventual Binks performer Ahmed Best to Vice, Jackson wanted to go full Thriller with the make-up and effects for the character, but Lucas already had his mind and heart set on the Gungan being a completely CGI entity.
Ultimately, likely down to this request from Jackson and the potential he had to overshadow the other stars in Lucas' world, the decision was made to go with Best and a digitally rendered alien... gifting us the gif that keeps on giving.