"I wouldn’t do it": Machine Gun Kelly reveals why he walked away from "Sinners" audition

Machine Gun Kelly may be no stranger to the screen, but there’s one role he firmly declined, and for a reason that sparked on-air respect.

Appearing on The Pat McAfee Show on Thursday, July 31, the rapper-turned-actor revealed he chose not to audition for a vampire role in Sinners, the hit film from director Ryan Coogler, due to a line in the script requiring him to say the “n-word.”

“Like Sinners, I was supposed to be in that. The vampire, they had me set up to do the audition — it’s the one that’s in the house, so he’s the second vampire, the one that the guy comes and eats the family.”

He continued:

“In the audition, he has to say the ‘n-word’ and I wouldn’t do it.”

The moment didn’t go unnoticed by McAfee Show co-host Darius Butler, who offered the Cleveland native a fist-bump in appreciation of his choice.

While the Rap Devil hitmaker didn’t specify which character he was asked to audition for, it appeared to align with the role of Bert, a white supremacist turned vampire in the film’s first act. That part ultimately went to actor Peter Dreimanis.

Sinners, released in April, has since carved out major box office success. With stars like Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, and Miles Caton, the supernatural thriller has grossed more than $365.9 million mark worldwide.

Elsewhere in the interview, the rapper had a clear message for casting directors:

“Hey dude, I’d like to be in cinema while I still look young.”

MGK is keeping busy regardless. His new album Lost Americana drops August 8.

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Machine Gun Kelly shares why Saga’s name was a victory

Meanwhile, Machine Gun Kelly shed new light on how he and Megan Fox chose the name for their daughter, Saga Blade Fox-Baker.

During his August 1 interview on Today, the musician joked about his track record with baby names, referring to his older daughter with ex-girlfriend Emma Cannon.

“Well, I lost the first one and won the second one. When you are 18 years old and you go to her mother and you go, ‘What if we named our kid ‘Kid?’’ I get why she’s like, ‘Hey man, shut up.’”

The rapper went on to explain that Saga was a name he suggested during his relationship with Fox. The choice, he noted in a previous Today appearance, holds special meaning for both of them.

“I think her journey, you know, the five years of kind of her culmination of coming, disappearing, coming back again, disappearing, coming back again.”

Machine Gun Kelly also mentioned the name’s etymology.

“That's the Nordic goddess of storytelling. So, she has a storytelling future ahead of her.”

The couple, who got engaged in early 2022, quietly split not long after announcing they were expecting in November 2024. By late March 2025, Machine Gun Kelly confirmed Saga's birth with a celebratory post on Instagram:

“She’s finally here!! our little celestial seed. 3/27/25.”

Her full name was shared with fans a few months later.