Eminem Tried to Cast Mariah Carey as His Mother in '8 Mile,' Says Producer

In a surprising reveal, music producer Damion "Damizza" Young shared that rapper Eminem once tried to cast pop legend Mariah Carey as his on-screen mother in the 2002 film "8 Mile."

On the TFU Podcast, Damizza revealed that Eminem had a specific idea in mind—he wanted Mariah Carey to portray the troubled mother of his character, Jimmy "B-Rabbit" Smith, in "8 Mile."

According to AllHipHop, the idea caught many off guard, including Damizza himself. "I pleaded with him not to offer Mariah the movie role," he admitted.

At the time, Damizza was working closely with Carey and didn't think the match made sense. "She did not like that s**t at all," he added, explaining that Carey's "insecurities kicked in big time" after hearing the role description.

"8 Mile," a film loosely based on Eminem's life, centers on a young rapper trying to make it out of a rough Detroit neighborhood.

The part of B-Rabbit's struggling mother ultimately went to Kim Basinger, whose powerful performance earned critical acclaim.

While Carey reportedly turned down the offer at first, Damizza said she changed her mind once she learned it wasn't for a duet, but a movie role.

Damizza Claims Eminem Sparked Romance with Carey at 8 Mile Meeting

When they finally connected, Eminem allegedly told her directly, "I want you to play my mother." At the time, Carey was only four years older than Eminem, which added to her discomfort with the idea.

Damizza suggested that the meeting about "8 Mile" might have been the moment that sparked the rumored relationship between Eminem and Mariah Carey.

"Next thing I know, we are at Eminem's house ... and they disappear," he said.

Their complicated relationship later played out in music. Eminem referenced Carey in songs like "Superman," while Carey responded with her hit "Obsessed" in 2009, even dressing like Eminem in the music video, according to the NY Post.

Despite the speculation, Mariah Carey has consistently denied having any romantic relationship with Eminem.

Eminem intensified the ongoing feud by releasing a diss track titled "The Warning," taking direct aim at Mariah Carey.

Despite never appearing in "8 Mile," Carey has continued to make headlines in the music industry.

Mariah Carey just released her latest single, "Type Dangerous," and performed it live at the 2025 BET Awards, where she was also honored with the prestigious Ultimate Icon Award.

During her speech at the 2025 BET Awards, Mariah Carey reflected on her journey, saying it took time to understand the importance of living for herself rather than seeking others' approval.

Tags

Eminem, Mariah Carey