Eminem Wanted Mariah Carey to Play His Mom in 8 Mile

By Hiphopla News | June 9, 2025

Yes, you read that right — Eminem allegedly wanted Mariah Carey to play his mom in 8 Mile.

According to producer Damizza, who worked closely with Mariah in the early 2000s, Slim Shady tried to cast the pop diva as his mother in the now-iconic 2002 rap biopic.

“I Want You to Play My Mother”

Speaking on the TFU Podcast, Damizza recalled Eminem’s first words to Mariah during a meeting he helped set up:

“The first thing out of [Eminem’s] mouth is, ‘I want you to play my mother.’”

He says Mariah’s insecurities “kicked in big time” after the surprising proposal.

Business Turned Personal

Despite the awkward start, Damizza claims the meeting led to something far less professional.

“It was her chasing him, not him chasing her,” he said. “Next thing I know, we are at Eminem’s house… and they disappear… It went from business to f**king.”

This adds fuel to the long-rumored fling between the two music megastars, which Carey has consistently denied.

From Casting Couch to Diss Tracks

Eminem’s version of events later exploded into the public eye with 2009’s “The Warning,” his brutal diss track aimed at Mariah after she dropped “Obsessed.”

“Wow Mariah, didn’t expect you to go balls out… shut the f*** up ‘fore I put all them phone calls out,” Em rapped on the track, revealing intimate (and graphic) details of their alleged past.

Carey never responded to “The Warning” with a diss of her own, and to this day, insists they never dated.

Ultimately, Mariah didn’t take the 8 Mile role, which instead went to Kim Basinger, who played Em’s mom and earned critical acclaim for the performance.