Seth Rogen says ‘Gigli’ audition tape would destroy his career if leaked: “If you have it, burn it”

Seth Rogen has joked that his career would be over if his Gigli audition tape were to leak.

• READ MORE: ‘The Studio’ review: Seth Rogen and an all-star cast take on Hollywood

During a recent appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Rogen touched on the time he had auditioned for a supporting role in the critically panned Gigli.

Starring Ben Affleck as a hitman hired to kidnap the brother of an influential prosecutor who had a “cognitive disability”, the 2003 romcom was universally panned. The Studio actor Rogen had auditioned for the part of the brother, which was ultimately given to Justin Bartha.

“Thank god it was mostly physical VHS tapes and stuff like that that was being used when I was auditioning for things,” he said to Kimmel. “Because the things I auditioned for, in retrospect, if they were out there in the world, they would end my career very, very fast, I believe.”

Using Gigli as an example, he added: “I auditioned for this boy with a cognitive disability. And I don’t think the script was written in what, by today’s standards, would be the most sensitive portrayal of a boy with a cognitive disability.”

The film grossed just over $7m against a $75.6m budget, which made it one of the most expensive box office bombs in history. Panned by critics and viewers alike, it was the last film that Martin Brest ever directed.

Rogen recalled being intent on impressing Brest and going above and beyond in his audition in the process.

“I don’t think I wore a helmet into the audition itself, but it was at play,” he said. “And I’m tempted to do an impression of what I did, but I can’t even do it. I can’t. That’s how bad it was. It’s so bad. I dare not even portray what I did in this audition. Because I went for it. I saw myself at the Oscars.

“Truthfully, if that tape was out [in] the world today, this would be the last interview you ever saw me do. Other than, like, my apology tour. Please, if you have it, burn it. Please sell it to me. I will buy it.”

In a five-star review of the far more well received The Studio – which stars Rogen alongside an extensive list of A-list stars – NME said: “Alongside an impressively starry cast of A-listers, they deliver a 10-part self-loathing love letter to the biz that just might be the sharpest, funniest show of 2025 so far.”

Rogen recently opened up about the “devastating” impact of negative reviews, saying “it hurts everyone [in the industry], very much.”

The post Seth Rogen says ‘Gigli’ audition tape would destroy his career if leaked: “If you have it, burn it” appeared first on NME.