Machine Gun Kelly Turned Down 'Sinners' Role Due to Character's N-Word Use

Apparently MGK missed out on being in one of the biggest movies of the year because he was uncomfortable with using a racial slur during his audition.

August 1, 2025

Machine Gun Kelly has revealed that he turned down a role in the Ryan Coogler-directed horror hit Sinners due to one of his character's lines.

During an appearance on ESPN's The Pat McAfee Show to coincide with the announcement that his track will be the anthem for the upcoming 2025-2026 College Football Season, MGK expressed a little bit of frustration about not getting all the acting roles he wanted and shared that he was supposed to be in the Michael B. Jordan-led movie.

"There's been plenty of movies that come out that I'm like, 'Ah I was supposed to be in that,' or, 'Oh, I did auditions for that.' Like, Sinners, I was supposed to be in that."

When the reveal got a reaction from the hosts, he shared that he was supposed to be one of the vampires. "They had me set up to do the auditions," he continued. "It's the vampire, the one that's in the house. So, he's the second vampire, the one that the guy comes and like, he eats the family up. But in the audition he has to say the N-word and I just wouldn't do it."

Sinners, which is set during the Jim Crow era following World War I, doesn't hold back when it comes to depicting the realities of the era. While actors such as Leonardo DiCaprio had no qualms taking on the role of a slaveowner in movies such as Django Unchained, it appears as though it was a bridge too far for Kells.

Earlier in the interview, he was asked about how he approaches his acting career, which has included roles in movies such as Bird Box and, most recently, the action-comedy Jackpot! "I just get nos so many times," he said. "I pursue it as much as I can... I have a lot of aspirations to be in movies. It just hasn't panned out that way. I'm on universal timing, though, so we'll see."

Check out the full interview up top.

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