A Tupac and Janet Jackson love scene in Poetic Justice was penciled in to happen, but according to this reason, the scene was cancelled.
Tupac’s second film, Poetic Justice, directed by John Singleton, showcased Shakur’s range as an actor. Coming off his debut performance in Juice, Tupac’s Lucky character in Poetic Justice was a complete 360. Co-starring alongside Janet Jackson, the film had a number one opening weekend.
The success of the movie also came with controversy. The love film was set to have its lead characters pair up. Not only on screen locking lips, but apparently in a love scene as well. Unfortunately the scene never occurred. For long it was blamed on Tupac who had rejected an AIDS test during the 12 weeks filming of the movie.
“I don’t know if it was Janet that it came from, but I know that suddenly out of the blue they wanted me to take an AIDS test for this love scene,” Tupac explained during an MTV interview after the movie was completed. “And, I did not disagree. I said, ‘If I am really going to make love with Janet Jackson, I’d take four AIDS tests.’ But, if Ima do a love scene just like somebody else did and they did not take, I’m not taking a test. Not only am I not taking a test, but get out of my trailer.”
According to Joe Torry who also appeared in the movie, explained why Tupac was asked to take an AIDS test that did not come from the request of Janet Jackson.
“It wasn’t Janet,” Joe Torry said. “You would see… ‘Pac was a rap star. So, you would see the different woman that would come out of the side of Tupac’s trailer. He’s smoking weed, going everywhere on the set, woman, and he’s banging women on the set. He was just being ‘Pac. So her crew watching that and Janet is coming with 30 people working with her. Janet ain’t working, you not getting a check.”
“So at the time AIDS was pretty popular.. She caught a cold when she kissed Q-Tip in one of the first scenes. Two days she couldn’t work,” explained Torry. “Janet wasn’t tripping at all. She was the perfect professional and it never came from her.”
During his interview with VLAD TV, Torry also revealed another reason as to why the love scene between Tupac and Janet Jackson never happened.
Tupac would turn 21 and decided to ink his body with the infamous 50 N***** tattoo, a decision that cost him a love scene with Janet. “It was right in between the filming,” revealed Torry. “Whatever Tattoo it was, it was like okay but you have a love scene with Janet in about a week or two. That wasn’t there in another scene and it’s gonna be bleeding. It’s not even healed. He had a big white bandage and you can see the blood coming through it.”
Despite the controversy, Tupac and Janet Jackson had chemistry on set as explained by cast member Regina King. “I don’t know if Janet will ever admit to it, but there was a bit of that chemistry going on. You could cut the air in the room at times,” Regina said in her interview for the 2022 Janet Lifetime and A&E documentary. “But she was in a relationship with René, make no mistake about it.”
