Ice Cube says he lost a prime starring role, along with a $9 million paycheck, over his refusal to get the COVID vaccine.
The musician/actor made the statements Tuesday on the “Million Dollaz Worth Of Game” podcast, remarking that he had given up a starring role alongside Jack Black in an intended-for-theaters Sony comedy over his unwillingness to get the shot.
“I turned down a movie because I didn’t want to get the motherfucking jab,” Cube said. “I turned down $9 million. I didn’t want get the jab. Fuck that jab. Fuck ya’ll for trying to make me get it. I don’t know how Hollywood feels about me right now.”
The film, “Oh Hell No,” was to be directed by “Bad Trip” filmmaker Kitao Sakurai and came with a producer-specific mandate that all participants be vaccinated in order to participate. Black was to play Sherman, a man who falls for the mother of his longtime friend Will (played by Cube), which causes comedic conflicts in their relationship.
The film was to be penned by Scot Armstrong, Tracy Oliver, Jessica Gao and Rodney Rothman. Reports initially surfaced in mid-Oct. 2021 that Cube had been dropped from the film, intended to be shot in Hawaii, specifically due to his refusal.
“Oh Hell No” was initially intended to open on June 17, 2022, before being removed from the schedule on February 18, 2022, with no further updates as to the picture’s eventual fate.
Cube later clarified that he “didn’t turn down” a movie because of his refusal to get the shot, adding that “Those motherf—ers didn’t give it to me because I wouldn’t get the shot. I didn’t turn it down. They just wouldn’t give it to me. The covid shot, the jab…I didn’t need it. I didn’t catch that shit at all. Nothing. F— them. I didn’t need that shit.”
Watch Ice Cube’s full appearance on the podcast at the top of this file. The comments related to the COVID shot and Cube’s refusal to receive it begin at around the 71-minute mark.