--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I really wanted Michael Jackson to be in…" description: "\"I really wanted Michael Jackson to be in the first Men in Black, but he didn't want to be considered as an alien!\" — Barry Sonnenfeld" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/159/barry-sonnenfeld-23903_alien_i-really-wanted-michael-jackson-to-be-in_421744.png" --- # I really wanted Michael Jackson to be in the first Men in… ![“I really wanted Michael Jackson to be in the first Men in Black, but he didn't want to be considered as an alien!” quote by Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/159/barry-sonnenfeld-23903_alien_i-really-wanted-michael-jackson-to-be-in_421744.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/159/barry-sonnenfeld-23903_alien_i-really-wanted-michael-jackson-to-be-in_421744.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/159/barry-sonnenfeld-23903_alien_i-really-wanted-michael-jackson-to-be-in_421744.png) > “I really wanted Michael Jackson to be in the first Men in Black, but he didn't want to be considered as an alien!” [Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Wishes Michael Jackson had a cameo as an alien, highlighting missed creative opportunities. **In simple terms:** Wanted Jackson as alien. Key Takeaway Consider unconventional collaborations. Themes creativity missed opportunities collaboration Mood playful reflective Type humorous analytical When to use this quote - movie casting - music videos - special effects - fan culture Key Concepts celebrity film casting Questions to Reflect On - How could an alien cameo change a film? - What are the limits of star power? A Different Perspective Unusual casting may not fit the story or audience expectations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alien/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [My whole world changed when Michael Jackson brought out the Bad album when I was about eight or nine. He took over my whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-filan/my-whole-world-changed-when-michael-jackson-brought-out-the-bad-album/) [Shane Filan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-filan/) > [I wanted to be Michael Jackson as a kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii/i-wanted-to-be-michael-jackson-as-a-kid/) [Yahya Abdul-Mateen II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii/) > [Everybody wanted to be Michael Jackson. That's how Will and I got to know each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/apl-de-ap/everybody-wanted-to-be-michael-jackson-that-s-how-will-and-i-got-to/) [apl.de.ap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/apl-de-ap/) > [When I was growing up, I wanted to be Michael Jackson. I used to sing and dance and perform with my sister at parties…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lammy/when-i-was-growing-up-i-wanted-to-be-michael-jackson-i-used-to-sing/) [David Lammy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lammy/) > [“Because I wanted Michael's mouth on me, because from the first moment I saw him walking across the grass to where I sat in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/because-i-wanted-michael-s-mouth-on-me-because-from-the-first-moment/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [“I'd like to point out that I've already seen you nude. Lovely as you are, and much as I want to, I won't go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalie-lario/i-d-like-to-point-out-that-i-ve-already-seen-you-nude-lovely-as-you/) [Rosalie Lario](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalie-lario/) > [In Chicago, they wanted Michael to do his thing and me to be just rebound. I'm more than a rebounder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-oakley/in-chicago-they-wanted-michael-to-do-his-thing-and-me-to-be-just/) [Charles Oakley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-oakley/) > [So, from a very young age, my mom tells me that I wanted to be Michael J. Fox. I didn't want to be an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-adams/so-from-a-very-young-age-my-mom-tells-me-that-i-wanted-to-be-michael/) [Patrick J. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-adams/) > [I did the voice of Cyclops on 'Shrek the Third'. I don't know how I got that. They said they wanted a Michael Chiklis…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-valley/i-did-the-voice-of-cyclops-on-shrek-the-third-i-don-t-know-how-i-got/) [Mark Valley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-valley/) > [Michael J. Fox was my idol. I always wanted to be Michael J. Fox.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-annable/michael-j-fox-was-my-idol-i-always-wanted-to-be-michael-j-fox/) [Dave Annable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-annable/) > [I never wanted to be Michael Jordan, although I would like to trade bank accounts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scottie-pippen/i-never-wanted-to-be-michael-jordan-although-i-would-like-to-trade/) [Scottie Pippen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scottie-pippen/) > [Virtually any pointed edifice is considered a candidate for alien engineering. After all, how could the Egyptians or Mayans have possibly stacked up stone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/virtually-any-pointed-edifice-is-considered-a-candidate-for-alien/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [Michael Jackson wanted to be in Men in Black II. He told me he had seen the first Men in Black in Paris and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/michael-jackson-wanted-to-be-in-men-in-black-ii-he-told-me-he-had/) [Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/) > [When children see Michael Jackson they see a human being. When adults see him they see money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-collins/when-children-see-michael-jackson-they-see-a-human-being-when-adults/) [Phil Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-collins/) > [Michael Jackson has a new baby boy; no word yet who the father is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/michael-jackson-has-a-new-baby-boy-no-word-yet-who-the-father-is/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) ## More by Barry Sonnenfeld > [The first cut I do is usually between five and 10 minutes shorter then the cut that we release. Anything I think isn't working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/the-first-cut-i-do-is-usually-between-five-and-10-minutes-shorter/) [Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/) > [There is something about being a director where, for me personally, I get to . . . it's the closest I'll ever come to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/there-is-something-about-being-a-director-where-for-me-personally-i/) [Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/) > [When you're done shooting, the movie that you're going to release when you're done shooting is as bad as it will ever be. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/when-you-re-done-shooting-the-movie-that-you-re-going-to-release-when/) [Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/) > [When I move from being a cameraman to being a director I looked at a lot of other cameramen who tried to make the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/when-i-move-from-being-a-cameraman-to-being-a-director-i-looked-at-a/) [Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/) > [The weird thing is that I hate to fly, and the quote that I give people is that every time I get off a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/the-weird-thing-is-that-i-hate-to-fly-and-the-quote-that-i-give/) [Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/) > [It always happens at the end that you're always under the gun because of various schedules and all that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/it-always-happens-at-the-end-that-you-re-always-under-the-gun-because/) [Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/) > [There's a series of children's books called A Series of Unfortunate Events, which is like an incredibly dark version of Roald Dahl. I hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/there-s-a-series-of-children-s-books-called-a-series-of-unfortunate/) [Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/) > [I'm an unusual director in that my cut is usually shorter then the final released film. I like short films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/i-m-an-unusual-director-in-that-my-cut-is-usually-shorter-then-the/) [Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/) > [I don't think Will does get upstaged because his reaction is always funnier than what is actually happening. That is also the reason Tommy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/i-don-t-think-will-does-get-upstaged-because-his-reaction-is-always/) [Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/) > [Growing up, my fascination was all things dinosaur, and as an adult, I've had some success making films about aliens, so this is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/growing-up-my-fascination-was-all-things-dinosaur-and-as-an-adult-i/) [Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/) > [I play the father in the scene when Will and Tommy go back to Tommy's old apartment. It was a big mistake. I hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/i-play-the-father-in-the-scene-when-will-and-tommy-go-back-to-tommy-s/) [Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/) > [They want to let the audience figure things out and let the reaction shot get the laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/they-want-to-let-the-audience-figure-things-out-and-let-the-reaction/) [Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/) > [I don't believe in leaving a scene in because it was really hard to shoot, or because it's the reason you took the movie,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/i-don-t-believe-in-leaving-a-scene-in-because-it-was-really-hard-to/) [Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/) > [We should all relax about life because you don't have a clue as to what's really going on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/we-should-all-relax-about-life-because-you-don-t-have-a-clue-as-to/) [Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/) > [When Frank the Pug is singing I Will Survive, the only reason it's funny is that Will is in that shot trying not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/when-frank-the-pug-is-singing-i-will-survive-the-only-reason-it-s/) [Barry Sonnenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/) [Explore all 25 Barry Sonnenfeld quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/) ## More Alien quotes > [If you're going to immerse yourself in a project for three years, why not stake out a chunk of the world that is completely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-powers/if-you-re-going-to-immerse-yourself-in-a-project-for-three-years-why/) [Richard Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-powers/) > [“If you are an alien, how come you sound like you're from the north?' 'Lots of planets have a north!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-t-davies/if-you-are-an-alien-how-come-you-sound-like-you-re-from-the-north/) [Russell T Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-t-davies/) > [Some pundits have proposed that the aliens have come here to breed with us. Apparently, too much bike riding or something similar has rendered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/some-pundits-have-proposed-that-the-aliens-have-come-here-to-breed/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [North Korea is still my homeland, my country. I suffered on the outside because I was alien, without identity. I was nobody. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-hyeon-seo/north-korea-is-still-my-homeland-my-country-i-suffered-on-the-outside/) [Lee Hyeon-seo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-hyeon-seo/) > [I don't want to be the embarrassment of the galaxy to have had the power to deflect an asteroid, and then not and end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-don-t-want-to-be-the-embarrassment-of-the-galaxy-to-have-had-the/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Whatever is not commonly seen is condemned as alien.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-chang/whatever-is-not-commonly-seen-is-condemned-as-alien/) [Iris Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-chang/) > [Alien's a great one. That's a scary movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-nelson/alien-s-a-great-one-that-s-a-scary-movie/) [Judd Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-nelson/) > [As far as I can tell, the only unambiguous consequence of the claimed invasion of Earth by beings from another star system has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/as-far-as-i-can-tell-the-only-unambiguous-consequence-of-the-claimed/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [Rick stared at him. "Your brother is an alien." "Yeah, but he's a cute one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/rick-stared-at-him-your-brother-is-an-alien-yeah-but-he-s-a-cute-one/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [You tell me you love me, but Im not sure you know what love is, or how fast it flies, or how much it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-nishah/you-tell-me-you-love-me-but-im-not-sure-you-know-what-love-is-or-how/) [Hussein Nishah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussein-nishah/) > [Give consideration to the fact that alien astronomers could have scrutinized Earth for more than 4 billion years without detecting any radio signals, despite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/give-consideration-to-the-fact-that-alien-astronomers-could-have/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [“When I was a kid, I used to watch that show, sitting on the couch in my pajamas and wishing more than anything that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-thomas-ford/when-i-was-a-kid-i-used-to-watch-that-show-sitting-on-the-couch-in-my/) [Michael Thomas Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-thomas-ford/) > [We of alien looks or words must stick together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-sansom/we-of-alien-looks-or-words-must-stick-together/) [C.J. Sansom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-sansom/) > [One of the most interesting things for me in playing another species is that you want to make them different enough to be alien…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaime-murray/one-of-the-most-interesting-things-for-me-in-playing-another-species/) [Jaime Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaime-murray/) > [In a movie, it's often important to have aliens whose gestures and facial expressions can be 'read' by humans. And in the days before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/in-a-movie-it-s-often-important-to-have-aliens-whose-gestures-and/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) [Browse all 709 Alien quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alien/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I really wanted Michael Jackson to be in the first Men in Black, but he didn't want to be considered as an alien!", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barry Sonnenfeld" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/i-really-wanted-michael-jackson-to-be-in-the-first-men-in-black-but/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Alien" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/i-really-wanted-michael-jackson-to-be-in-the-first-men-in-black-but/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/159/barry-sonnenfeld-23903_alien_i-really-wanted-michael-jackson-to-be-in_421744.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/159/barry-sonnenfeld-23903_alien_i-really-wanted-michael-jackson-to-be-in_421744.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/159/barry-sonnenfeld-23903_alien_i-really-wanted-michael-jackson-to-be-in_421744.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I really wanted Michael Jackson to be in the first Men in Black, but he didn't want to be considered as an…” — Barry Sonnenfeld", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Barry Sonnenfeld", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sonnenfeld/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I really wanted Michael Jackson to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/i-really-wanted-michael-jackson-to-be-in-the-first-men-in-black-but/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sonnenfeld/i-really-wanted-michael-jackson-to-be-in-the-first-men-in-black-but/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```