'Please, Burn It': Seth Rogen Says One Audition Could Still End His Career — You Won’t Believe the Role
A forgotten VHS tape he hopes never resurfaces again.
Even the most beloved comedians have skeletons in their casting closets — or, in Seth Rogen’s case, a VHS tape he desperately hopes has been lost to time. During a recent appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the actor and producer opened up about an early-career audition that went, in his words, so catastrophically badly it could still "end [his] career very, very fast" if anyone ever unearthed the footage. Curious? You’re not alone.
The audition in question was for the now-infamous 2003 romantic crime comedy Gigli, starring Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez. Rogen tried out for the role of a boy with a cognitive disability — a part that eventually went to Justin Bartha. "I don’t think the script was written in what, by today’s standards, would be the most sensitive portrayal," Rogen noted, before admitting he went 'all in' on the character in ways that, by his own account, were deeply cringeworthy. "I’m tempted to do an impression of what I did, but I can’t. That’s how bad it was," he said.
"If that tape was out in the world today, this would be the last interview you ever saw me do. Other than, like, my apology tour."
Of course, hindsight is 20/20 — and in Rogen’s case, wrapped in a thick layer of self-deprecating humour. Still, the anecdote offers a glimpse into how dramatically industry standards (and personal awareness) have shifted in just two decades. It’s also a reminder that the early 2000s were a minefield for young actors trying to break into mainstream film, sometimes with more ambition than discretion. Who among us wouldn’t flinch at the idea of our worst professional moment preserved on tape?
In the end, Gigli became one of Hollywood’s most notorious flops — so perhaps missing out on that role was a blessing in disguise. As Rogen joked, "Please, if you have it, burn it. Please sell it to me. I will buy it." It’s a story of youthful ambition, a risky audition, and a cringe-worthy moment thankfully lost to time. And honestly, can you blame him for wanting to keep it that way?
