Mahershala Ali's Game of Thrones audition flopped because of a missing chair, leading to an awkward, unforgettable failure.

Mahershala Ali's audition for Game of Thrones may have seemed like a slam dunk, but it turned out to be a big mistake. Despite his acclaimed talent, Ali's bid for a role in the iconic series was derailed by what he calls one of the worst auditions of his life. The reason? It was as unexpected as it was trivial, leaving Ali haunted by the missed opportunity for years.

Explore how a seemingly minor slip-up in his audition process cost him a chance at a game-changing role and how this experience became a memorable lesson in the unpredictable world of Hollywood casting.

Oscar-winning actor Mahershala Ali almost traded his crown for a dragon. The Moonlight star revealed in a 2017 interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live! that he bombed his Game of Thrones audition for the silliest imaginable reason ever, and that was: no chair.