In a surprising behind-the-scenes revelation, music executive Damion “Damizza” Young claims that Eminem once attempted to cast pop icon Mariah Carey as his mother in the 2002 film 8 Mile — a move that reportedly didn’t sit well with her.
Speaking on the TFU Podcast, Damizza recalled the moment Eminem reached out to him with the idea of having Carey portray the role of his troubled mom in the semi-autobiographical drama. Initially, Damizza was strongly against the pitch. “I pleaded with him not to offer Mariah the movie role,” he said, as reported by AllHipHop.
Still, after some pressure, he approached Carey with the offer. At first, she believed Eminem was proposing a music collaboration. But once she learned it was for a film — and more specifically, the role of his mother — her reaction changed completely.
“She did not like that s**t at all,” Damizza recalled. “Her insecurities kicked in big time.”
Ultimately, the part went to actress Kim Basinger, who brought years of Hollywood clout to the screen with standout performances in Batman and L.A. Confidential. 8 Mile went on to become a major box office hit, grossing nearly $243 million worldwide. Its soundtrack was equally successful, achieving quadruple platinum status from the RIAA and spawning the Oscar-winning anthem “Lose Yourself.”
The casting attempt came around the same time Eminem’s personal feud with Mariah Carey was heating up. Em had publicly claimed the two shared a short-lived relationship, which Carey denied. Their war of words spilled into music — with Eminem targeting her on the track “Superman,” and Carey responding in songs like “Obsessed.”
The drama between the two continued for years before Eminem told Vibe in 2010 that he was finally done with the feud.
While Carey never stepped into the 8 Mile spotlight, her brush with the project adds another unexpected twist to one of hip-hop’s most talked-about rivalries.
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