Lenny Kravitz says he missed out on a part in ‘Big Little Lies’ because producers were weary of casting "the only black man on the show" as a villain.
The 54-year-old actor-and-singer has revealed he was "considered to play one of the husbands" in the violent HBO drama series, but the director Jean-Marc Vallée decided against it in the end to avoid backlash.
The ‘Are You Gonna Go My Way’ hitmaker didn’t want to divulge whether he would have taken on the role of wife-beating Perry Wright, which went to Alexander Skarsgard in the end, Celeste’s husband [Nicole Kidman].
Speaking to the BBC, Kravitz – who dated Kidman between 2002 and 2003 – said: "And the word that came back to me was that, if I was the only black man on the show, they didn’t want me doing what it was that I would be doing. So that ended up not happening.
"The director [Jean-Marc Vallée] was like, ‘I so want you for this but we’ll work together another time.’ "
Kravitz’s daughter Zoe ended up being cast as out-there yoga instructor Bonnie Carlson, but he admits he’s glad his offspring got the part and not him.
He said: "I’m much more happy that she got the role. It worked out wonderfully."
The ‘Hunger Games’ star has poured cold water on speculation he’s set to star in the second series of ‘Big Little Lies’, which sees Meryl Streep come on board with regular cast members Reese Witherspoon [Madeline] – who executive produces – Kidman, Laura Dern [Renata] and Shailene Woodley [Jane], as much as he’d love to.
He said: "As fun as that sounds – that’s not going to happen.
"But I love all the ladies in the show. I actually just saw them in LA, we had a birthday party for Reese Witherspoon and it was wonderful being with all the ladies and my daughter."
Streep is to portray Mary Louise Wright – the mother-in-law of Nicole’s character – and she’s already started shooting her scenes.
During the first season of the David E. Kelley drama based on the Liane Moriarty novel, it was revealed that Kidman’s character’s abusive spouse had died, and Streep’s character is said to be "concerned for the well-being of her grandchildren" following his passing.
Lenny Kravitz missed out on Big Little Lies part
