Ozzy Osbourne is an icon. That is not breaking news, but we are winding down to the end of his career, at least in terms of playing live. On July 5, he will perform his final solo gig, and his last with his former band, Black Sabbath.
One aspect of Ozzy's legendary career we never got to know was his acting ability. He has been in commercials and a handful of films, but he might have been perfect for one massively popular Disney franchise and never got the chance. His wife and manager, Sharon, shot down the idea.
As a build-up to Ozzy's final concert, Sharon spoke with Music Business Worldwide and said her biggest regret about overseeing Ozzy's business dealings was turning down a chance for him to play a role in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.
Ozzy Osbourne missed out on a chance to be in Pirates of the Caribbean
Sharon said, "The biggest mistake I ever did with Ozzy was that they asked him to go and read for Pirates Of The Caribbean. I said, ‘(Expletive) off’. Can you imagine? He would have been so perfect in it."
There was no mention of what role Ozzy would have played, or if he was guaranteed a spot in the film, but how could his appearance beside Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow not have been fantastic? Depp has said the way he formed his character was based on Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards.
Filmgoers would have had the opportunity to watch someone channeling Richards while being in a scene with the real Ozzy Osbourne. It likely would have been farcical and campy, but Pirates of the Caribbean was already silly and campy. That is part of the franchise's charm.
As far as reality is concerned, though. Ozzy and Black Sabbath's Back to the Beginning show will be held in their hometown of Birmingham, England, at Villa Park on July 5. They will be supported by a number of legendary bands, including Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Gokira, Halestorm, Alice in Chains, Lamb of God, Anthrax, Mastadon, among many others.
Fans can stream the event online for $29.99 by visiting the official site of the concert. Going in person is not an option if you don't already have a ticket; they have been sold out for a long time.