Ice Cube says he lost a $9 million film job over his refusal to get the COVID-19 vaccine

2022-11-23

Ice Cube said he lost out on a $9 million film role over his refusal to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

“I turned down a movie because I didn’t want to get the motherf—ing jab,” the actor and rapper said on a new episode of the Million Dollaz Worth of Game podcast. “I turned down $9 million. I didn’t want to get the jab. F— that jab. F— y’all for trying to make me get it. I don’t know how Hollywood feels about me right now.”

Cube doesn’t refer to the film project in question, but reports that he departed Sony comedy Oh Hell No after declining a request from producers to get vaccinated made headlines last year. The film, which hails from Bad Trip director Kitao Sakurai and would’ve co-starred Jack Black, was set to shoot in Hawaii and required the cast to be vaccinated.

Ice Cube

Later in the podcast, Cube clarified that he “didn’t turn down the movie” per se, but “those motherf—ers didn’t give it to me because I wouldn’t get the shot.” He continued, “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 sh— at all. Nothing. F— them. I didn’t need that sh—.”

Reps for Sony didn’t immediately respond to EW’s request for comment about Cube’s interview.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=_MTlgZYBGTk%3Frel%3D0

Vaccination among cast and crew of productions in Hollywood have become issues on set of multiple film and TV projects. A number of actors, including 9-1-1′s Rockmond Dunbar and General Hospital‘s Steve Burton, have departed their respective shows to avoid vaccine mandates, which have recently begun to loosen. As of earlier this month, Disney no longer requires vaccinations for the casts of U.S. productions, including Grey’s Anatomy and Station 19, among others.

Watch Cube’s interview above.

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