Pop Culture
Seth Rogen Recalls Disastrous Audition for Cheddar Bob in ‘8 Mile’ With Jason Segel
Seth Rogen detailed on ‘The A24 Podcast’ how he and Segel went through the “craziest audition of my life.”
ByJose Martinez
July 3, 2026
Seth Rogen once tried out for the role of Cheddar Bob in the 2002 film 8 Mile in what he still considers to be the “craziest audition of my life.”
On the latest episode of The A24 Podcast, The Invite star and director Olig director Mali Finn, to which Rogen responded, “I only remember her because she’s responsible for the craziest audition of my life.”
Rogen recalled being informed that he needed to bring a reading partner to his audition because nobody on the casting side felt “comfortable reading the other role.”
“I was told beforehand, ‘cause the scenes were with other rappers, and we got a fax or some shit beforehand being like, ‘No one in this office feels comfortable reading the other role, so you have to bring someone to read with you,’” he said at the 4:42 mark
“Like we all have a rapper on standby, a reading rapper,” Rogen continued
Wilde assumed Rogen chose his longtime friend and working partner Evan Goldberg, but he ended up going with Jason Segel after finding out that he was also auditioning for Cheddar Bob
“So, we just went with each other, and then one of us did it, and then we switched, and the other one did it,” Rogen remembered
While the plan seemed logical on paper, everything fell apart when they were actually in the room
“We both started laughing,” Rogen recalled. “I started laughing uncontrollably, to the point I was just like, ‘This is, like, it was too stupid.’”
The role of Cheddar Bob ended up going to Evan Jones, who has also starred in The Book of Eli and Den of Thieves
Rogen opened up in his memoir Yearbook about what was especially embarrassing about this particular audition
“Auditioning is embarrassing in the best of times,” he said. “Add the fact that one of my best friends is watching me do it, and we’re both reading for rappers from Detroit, which we could NOT have been less right for.”
Related Stories
pop-culture
Seth Rogen Says ‘8 Mile’ Audition Was the ‘Weirdest’ of His Career
In his new memoir ‘Yearbook,’ Seth Rogen writes about the time he auditioned for Eminem’s biopic ‘8 Mile,’ calling it the “weirdest” of his career
Mackenzie Cummings-Grady1876 days ago
pop-culture
Seth Rogen Thinks His ‘Gigli’ Audition Tape Would End His Career: ‘That’s How Bad It Was’
“Truthfully, if that tape was out today, this would be the last video you see of me today — outside of my apology tour.”
Trey Alston379 days ago
pop-culture
Seth Rogen Says He Helped Rewrite ‘Bad Boys II’
Rogen explained how Judd Apatow tapped him and writing partner Evan Goldberg to punch up the script
Xavier Hamilton2362 days ago
Trending
1MusicLupe Fiasco Says Nas ‘Wouldnt Rank High’ on List of Greatest Pure Lyricists
2MusicVic Mensa Declares Megan Thee Stallion a ‘Barometer Test’ for Mistreatment of Black Women
3MusicT.I. Says Each of His Children Carry a Different ‘Piece’ of His Personality
4MusicTaylor Swift and Travis Kelce Wedding Staff Reportedly Fired for NDA Violations
5MusicCardi B Says Latinos, Caribbean People Can ‘Thrive’ Because of the Sacrifices of African-Americans
6Pop CultureDave Chappelle Drops F-Bomb Live on CNN, Making Broadcast Awkward
Editor’s Pick
MusicThe Best Albums Of 2026 (So Far)
StyleHow to Style Soccer Jerseys
MusicThe 15 Best Rap Verses Of 2026 (So Far)
MusicHip-Hop Media Power Ranking: The 2026 Edition
SneakersEvery Air Jordan Releasing in 2026
