Shaq says he turned down major role in this Oscar-winning movie
SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 24: Shaquille O'Neal attends the 2019 NBA Awards at Barker Hangar on June 24, 2019 in Santa Monica, California. (Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images)
ORLANDO, Fla. - Shaquille O'Neal revealed this week that he turned down a huge part in a major film.
The basketball legend was a guest on an episode of the "Marchand and Ourand" sports media podcast this week where he revealed that he was offered the part of John Coffey in the Oscar-winning 1999 film ‘The Green Mile.’
"That was my role in 'Green Mile,' I turned it down," Shaq said.
RELATED: Shaq rejects celebrity status: 'These people are out of their freaking mind'
The role eventually went to Michael Clarke Duncan, who earned an Academy Award nomination.
So why did Shaq turn it down?
RELATED: ‘We ain’t rich, I’m rich’: Shaq says he wants his kids to earn their own way in life
"I didn't want to play the down south African-American guy during slavery," he said. "I didn't want to play that role. But the guy who played it, Michael Clarke Duncan, did an excellent job. I think I made the right decision because he did way better than I could have done, but I got offered that role."
Watch FOX 35 News for the latest trending stories.