Trivia / Malcolm X

• Dawson Casting: Ernest Lee Thomas plays Elijah Muhammad's (played by Al Freeman Jr.) son Sidney. In reality, the two are only 12 years apart.
• Executive Meddling: The studio demanded the film not be longer than 2 hours, 15 minutes and the budget not higher than around 32 million dollars. Luckily, multiple prominent African-Americans stepped in to donate money so Lee could make the film as long as he wanted.
• Real-Life Relative: This was the first film appearance of Denzel Washington's son John David, as a Harlem schoolboy. He was 8 years old at the time.
• What Could Have Been:
  • An early draft of the screenplay was co-written by James Baldwin. It has since been published under the title One Day When I Was Lost.
  • David Mamet and Eddie Murphy also wrote drafts of the screenplay.
  • Norman Jewison was originally attached to direct, and even cast Denzel Washington, but left the project due to difficulties with the material and the controversy of having a white filmmaker telling the story.
  • Spike Lee originally intended to include Louis Farrakhan as a character, but removed all mention of him from the script after he received specific, direct threats from him.
  • Lee originally intended the role of West Indian Archie for Samuel L. Jackson. Avery Brooks and Charles S. Dutton were also considered.
  • Regina King auditioned unsuccessfully for a role in this film. It was an experience she told the Hollywood Reporter was the worst audition of her career.
  • William Fichtner was hired to play a role as an NYPD officer, but does not have an appearance. A scene was never shot, but he was still paid.

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