NewsT. Rick Jones

Coming 2 America and Blade actor Wesley Snipes auditioned for Star Trek’s Geordi LaForge, but says “a greater actor” got the part

NewsT. Rick Jones
Coming 2 America and Blade actor Wesley Snipes auditioned for Star Trek’s Geordi LaForge, but says “a greater actor” got the part
Wesley Snipes as General Izzi in Coming 2 America (left) and LeVar Burton as Geordi LaForge in Star Trek: The Next Generation (right)

Wesley Snipes as General Izzi in Coming 2 America (left) and LeVar Burton as Geordi LaForge in Star Trek: The Next Generation (right)

MARCH 15, 2021 - Somewhere in an alternate universe, Geordi LaForge is a vampire. Okay, that’s probably not true, but what is true is that the legendary actor Wesley Snipes once auditioned for the role that ended up going to LeVar Burton, and boy would things be different if he’d actually won the part.

Snipes talked about the audition in an interview with Collider, published last week. Snipes was speaking to Collider primarily about his work in the new film Coming 2 America. But the conversation was wide-ranging and included, among other things, his thoughts on Blade - one of his best-known roles - and whether it would be coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe; why he’d love to guest host Whose Line Is It Anyway?; and whether he would confirm that he’d auditioned for Star Trek: The Next Generation.

“Yes, that is true,” he said, when asked if he had been up for the role of Geordi LaForge. “And was disappointed that I didn't get it. [...] But that actually turned out pretty good. Because I think if I had gotten the role that I would have been in television more than film, and maybe would have never got a chance to do everything else I’ve done.”

And what a lot else he’s done! Of his 69 credits currently on IMDb (nice), Snipes has just a never-ending list of hits to his name. Among them, 1991’s New Jack City and Jungle Fever, 1992’s White Men Can’t Jump and Passenger 57, 1993’s Demolition Man, 1995’s To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar; 1997’s Murder at 1600; four hundred Blade sequels...and the list goes on. A list that may never have happened had he been cast as Geordi.

Snipes recalled to Collider that he was “close” to getting the role. But, he said, “a greater actor than I went on to make it famous.”

LeVar Burton was gracious over Snipes’ praise. On Twitter, he said in response, “Genuine love and respect, @wesleysnipes! Peace and blessings to you!”

Snipes’ latest project, Coming 2 America, which also stars Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall, is available to stream now on Amazon Prime Video.