Being a crossover star in Hollywood is a feat that few performers are actually able to pull off, but the ones that do manage to find a ton more fame at the end of the road. Eminem and Rihanna, for instance, have both been able to thrive in music and in acting, and their ability to make waves in both areas of entertainment benefitted them greatly.
During the 90s, Tupac became one of the biggest rappers of all time, and he left behind a legacy that few will come close to matching. Not only did Tupac make waves in music, but he also showed that he could act, as well. In fact, at one point, Tupac found himself up for a role in a Tom Hanks film that won an Oscar.
Let's look back and see which Tom Hanks movie Tupac auditioned for.
Tupac Is One Of The Greatest Rappers Of All Time
When surveying the landscape of the best rappers of all time, Tupac's name is one that is always managing to stand out from the pack. The rapper didn't have the lengthiest career, but what he was able to accomplish during his time in the rap game is something that the majority can only dream of doing.
During his time in music, Tupac only released four studio albums, the last of which, All Eyez on Me, was certified Diamond by the RIAA. He had plenty of success while he was alive, but after his passing, his posthumous releases sold millions of copies and helped cement his legacy in the music industry.
According to Forbes, Tupac is estimated to have sold over 75 million records thanks to his body of work, making him one of the most successful rappers of his era.
It is incredible to reflect on what Tupac accomplished in the world of music, but the man had many talents outside of rapping. Turns out, Tupac was a solid actor who was starting to put together a solid body of work on the big screen.
He Had A Budding Acting Career
Unless you're a fan of Tupac's or a fan of 90s movies, you probably don't know that Tupac had a budding actor career before his untimely passing. The man had a wealth of talent that he was ready to unleash, and fans were able to get a taste of what he could do when the cameras were rolling thanks to a few different movies released in his lifetime.
In 1992, Tupac appeared in the film Juice alongside performers like Omar Epps and Jermaine Hopkins. The film utilized a small budget and wound up making a modest $20 million at the box office. It wasn't a huge hit, but it showed the world that the young Tupac had some acting chops and was ready for more roles.
The actor would go on to appear in movies like Poetic Justice and Above the Rim on the big screen before his passing. He had a few posthumous releases like Bulletproof and Gang Related, which were reminders to fans that he had big things on the horizon in the world of acting.
At one point, Tupac found himself up for a role in a Tom Hanks movie that wound up winning an Academy Award.
He Auditioned To Be In 'Forrest Gump'
So, which major Tom Hanks movie did Tupac audition for? Turns out, it was none other than Forrest Gump, which is considered one of the best movies of the 1990s.
According to Tupac's wife, "We went to the Chelsea Movie Theater to see Forrest Gump and then we ate dinner around the corner in an Italian restaurant. He wanted to see Forrest Gump because he read for the part of Bubba.”
Not only was Tupac in contention for the role, but so were names like Ice Cube and Dave Chappelle. Ultimately, Mykelti Williamson would be the man that the studio would cast in the role, and he wound up delivering an exceptional performance that people still talk about to this very day. It's safe to say that the studio got the casting decision right on this one, but we can't help but wonder what could have been.
Tupac left behind an incredible legacy in the world of music, and while he did dabble in acting, there was a lot of unrealized potential there for him. Fans will simply have to pop on movies like Poetic Justice to get a taste of what could have been.