A number of unexpected A-list celebrities had their names read aloud in court during the first day of jury selection for Sean “Diddy” Combs’ high-profile trial in New York City. The mention of stars like Michael B. Jordan, Mike Myers, Kid Cudi, Kanye West, and others quickly raised eyebrows—but none of them are currently accused of any criminal activity.
According to People, the names were introduced as part of a standard process during jury selection. The judge, Arun Subramanian, read a long list of public figures potentially linked to the case to determine whether any potential jurors had personal connections or strong opinions about them. The list also included Michelle Williams from Destiny’s Child and rapper Yung Miami, neither of whom are implicated in the case.
Judge Subramanian tried to keep the mood light, joking that the celebrity-heavy name drop felt “like I was reading an appendix from The Lord of the Rings.” However, beneath the levity lies a more serious implication: some of these names may have ties—direct or indirect—to elements of the prosecution’s case.
Variety reports that Kid Cudi’s inclusion may be due to a serious allegation from prosecutors: that he was the intended target of a car bombing linked to Combs back in 2011. At the time, Cudi was reportedly dating Combs’ ex, Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, the trial’s key witness. Similarly, Michael B. Jordan, though not expected to testify, is reportedly involved because Combs was allegedly enraged when Cassie went on a date with the actor in 2015.
Yung Miami, who previously dated Combs, was also included, though her relevance remains unclear. And according to The New York Post, at least a few potential jurors admitted they weren’t familiar with any of the celebrities named.
While it’s still uncertain how many, if any, of these stars will actually appear in court, their connections to Combs—via relationships, past events, or the music industry—could become part of a larger narrative unfolding in what’s shaping up to be a closely watched trial.
