The Tim Burton Movie Michael Jackson Wanted To Star In | CPT PPP Coverage

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Tim Burton has worked with a variety of actors for decades, and the King of Pop himself, Michael Jackson, almost joined that list as he wanted to star in one of Burton’s most popular projects, but it never happened. After taking Pee-wee on an adventure, meeting with the ghost Beetlejuice, and exploring Gotham City, Tim Burton introduced the world to a one-of-a-kind young man with a unique appearance and a heart of gold: Edward Scissorhands, played by Johnny Depp.

Edward Scissorhands tells the story of a young man created by a lonely inventor (Vincent Prince) who passed away unexpectedly and didn’t get to finish him, leaving Edward with big scissors and razors instead of hands. After being found at his old mansion by Peg Boggs (Diane Wiest) and taken to her neighborhood, Edward faced the curiosity and rejection of many people, but he also found love thanks to Peg’s daughter, Kim (Winona Ryder). Edward Scissorhands is one of Johnny Depp’s most memorable roles, but he wasn’t the only one interested in playing this character, as Michael Jackson also wanted to be Edward Scissorhands.

Related: How Old Edward Scissorhands Is (& Is He Immortal?)

Michael Jackson Wanted To Star In Edward Scissorhands

Edward Scissorhands isn’t a character with a lot of dialogue, so he relies on body language and facial expressions (although very soft) to create sympathy and express emotions, and as such, casting the role wasn’t going to be easy. Burton and company considered various actors for the role of Edward Scissorhands – some of them met with Burton, others simply turned down the offer – but one who wasn’t considered but made them know he was interested in it was Michael Jackson. According to the Los Angeles Times, Michael Jackson wasn’t offered the role of Edward Scissorhands but he really wanted to do it, but writer Caroline Thompson has said (via Insider) that she believes Jackson “pursued Tim” but Burton didn’t pay attention to his request and never met with the King of Pop.

By the time Edward Scissorhands was in development, back in early 1990, Michael Jackson had already made his acting debut, but his career as an actor wasn’t as successful as his music career. Jackson’s film debut was in the 1978 musical The Wiz, a reimagining of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz with an all-Black cast, with Jackson playing Scarecrow. After the failure of The Wiz, Jackson starred in the critically acclaimed short film/music video Thriller, followed by the sci-fi short film Captain EO, and the experimental anthology musical Moonwalker. Michael Jackson didn’t stand out for his acting skills, and he wouldn’t have fit with the essence of Edward Scissorhands.

Other Actors Who Almost Played Edward Scissorhands

While Michael Jackson wanted to play Edward Scissorhands, there were other actors who actually had a chance to play this unique character. The studio made Burton meet Tom Cruise, who Burton admitted wasn’t his ideal but still agreed to talk to him. Cruise ended up asking too many questions and for a “happier” ending, so Burton and company moved on. Tom Hanks and Gary Oldman were offered the role of Edward Scissorhands, but Hanks turned it down in favor of The Bonfire of the Vanities and Oldman because he thought the story was absurd. Jim Carrey was also considered to play Edward Scissorhands, John Cusack was Thompson’s favorite, and William Hurt and Robert Downey Jr. reportedly expressed interest in the role as well. In the end, Johnny Depp had always been Tim Burton’s first choice, and he was definitely the best choice as he truly connected with the complexity of Edward Scissorhands.

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