Long before becoming a Hollywood leading man, Channing Tatum bombed an audition for The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift so badly in 2006 that he cut it short himself, admitting nerves, forgotten lines and heavy sweating got the better of him. The anecdote offers a reminder that even now-established stars faced humiliating setbacks early in their careers, and that Tatum's true motivation at the time was reportedly less about the role and more a desire to travel to Japan.

Tatum has said he "blocked out" the specifics of the failed audition, recalling only that it was a mess and that casting staff "didn't even try to stop" him from walking away. The part ultimately went elsewhere, and Tokyo Drift went on to become the lowest-grossing entry in the Fast and Furious franchise at the time, taking $159 million against an $85 million budget, though it has since gained a stronger reputation among fans. Tatum also recounted a strikingly different experience auditioning for the Coen brothers' No Country for Old Men, despite being roughly 15 years too young for the part, which he later said helped him grow as an actor and led to him working with the pair years later on Hail, Caesar!.