Shaquille O'Neal Says He Turned Down Role of John Coffey in 'The Green Mile'

If you use one-to-one logic, Shaquille O'Neal could have been an Oscar-nominated actor once upon a time. 

During an appearance on the Marchand and Ourand Sports Media Podcast (h/t TMZ Sports), the Basketball Hall of Famer said he turned down the role of John Coffey in The Green Mile. 

"I didn't want to play the down-South African American guy during slavery," O'Neal explained. "I didn't want to play that role."

The 1999 movie features Tom Hanks as a prison guard in Louisiana during the Great Depression. Coffey, a Black man, is a prisoner on death row after being wrongfully convicted of murdering two children. 

Michael Clarke Duncan played the role of Coffey in the movie and boosted his career in Hollywood. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, losing to Michael Caine for The Cider House Rules. 

O'Neal has carved out a successful acting career, though he's mostly played himself in cameo roles. His most recent credit was as DJ Aurora in Hubie Halloween, but he will appear as himself in the upcoming Jackass Forever that will be released on Feb. 4, 2022.