News - Why Machine Gun Kelly Refused to Audition for Ryan Coogler's Sinners

How does one begin to describe Machine Gun Kelly? The man who could once be found digging graves and hurling abrasive bars at Marshall Mathers is now a pop punk guy — or is that country star? In fact, isn't he an interpreter of beloved alt-rock ballads? Well, he's all those things apparently, and he almost added yet another string to his bow when he had the chance to audition for Ryan Coogler's bloody vampire masterclass and breakout horror hit "Sinners." Unfortunately, it seems the pop star, whose real name is Colson Baker, wasn't all that comfortable using the racial slurs in the film's script. Speaking on the "The Pat McAfee Show" (via Variety), MGK revealed that he was offered an audition for the part of a vampire in "Sinners" before explaining why he turned down the offer. "I was supposed to be in that," he noted. "The vampire, they had me set up to do the audition — it's the one that's in the house, so he's the second vampire, the one that the guy comes and eats the family. In the audition, he has to say the 'n-word,' and I wouldn't do it." Kelly seems to be referring to the character of Bert, a member of the Ku Klux Klan and nephew to local Klan leader Hogwood (David Maldonado). Peter Dreimanis was ultimately cast as Bert, who's turned into a vampire by Jack O'Connell's Remmick early in the movie before joining Remmick's assault on the Smokestack twins' (Michael B. Jordan) juke joint. Casting MGK in this role would have been an inspired choice, given the film's commentary on mass culture's appropriation of Black subcultures. Alas it wasn't to be, and it seems Coogler was okay with that.