Jamaicans Fume Over Kingsley Ben-Adir’s Casting As Bob Marley In Upcoming Biopic

Like some of their African American counterparts did in 2020, when British actor Kingsley Ben-Adir was handpicked to play the roles of Barack Obama and Malcolm X, Jamaicans are upset that the British actor has been similarly picked to play the role of Reggae icon Bob Marley in an upcoming Paramount Pictures biopic.

Among the central bones of contention are that Bob would not want a “fake Rasta” wearing a wig or extensions representing him, and that one of his many sons or grandsons, ought to have been selected including his son Ky-Mani Marley, who had said that playing the role of Bob was his dream.

In addition, Reggae lovers are contending that as a foreigner, no matter how hard he tries, Ben-Adir will not be able to effectively portray the nuances and mannerisms of Jamaicans and that there are a plethora of competent Jamaican actors, who could play the Legend.

Worse yet, they argue that Ben-Adir, son of a white English father and a mother whose parents were from Trinidad and Tobago, will not be able to master the Patois language, and would sound comical as has been the case with the long list of acclaimed foreign actors who attempted to play roles as Jamaicans.

Bob’s singer/actor son Ky-Mani Marley, had said in November last year, that playing the role of his father would be his dream role of his acting career and that he would be perfect for the role, govern his acting experience and lineage.

The Like Father, Like Son artist, who was born in Falmouth Trelawny, has starred in lead roles in Jamaican films including One Love (2003) and Shottas (2002), among others.

“Absolutely! A di dream role dat! It would be a joy an’ a pleasure.” Ky-Mani had told the Jamaica Observer. “Di authenticity, di whole energy, di vibe, everything. Who better to play him than me?”

The executive producers of the film, are Marley’s widow Rita, his daughter Cedella and his eldest son Ziggy, who will produce the movie on behalf of Tuff Gong, the music label and studio which was established by Bob in 1970.

Ziggy had said last year, that the film, which is to be directed by King Richard director Reinaldo Marcus Green, would be paying homage to his father “in a manner that has never been undertaken before”, and would tell Bob’s story “in a way that truly honors him and will also entertain, enlighten, uplift and inspire his fans and audiences around the world.”

With the release of a casting call last year, Reggae fans had clamored for one of Bob’s sons or even a grandson to play the role of the music icon, who died in 1981 at age 36.

Since the announcement was made on Friday, that Paramount had found their ideal man for the role after searching the globe over a one-year period, the objection to Ben-Adir playing Bob, has been resounding.

“Bob will never support a fake rasta playing his role.  He has too many kids and family members that look and sound like him . No fake BOB AROUND HERE…,” bt_only said on Twitter.

“You searched for a year and couldn’t come up with a Jamaican?? It won’t be the same as using a Jamaican or one of his kids. We need that raw Jamaican patois in order to feel the vibration,” mag_gti said.

“The globe doesn’t include Jamaica I see. I’m tired of watching films with people butchering the Jamaican accent,” QveenSasafrass said sarcastically.

Others said that they would not be watching a British national pretending to be Jamaica’s most revered son and that “a proper Jamaican was needed to play a Bob Marley role”.

“So Kymani Marley can’t act anymore? And why not Skip Marley ?????” SandraeGunter said, while dre theinnovator added: “This makes no sense what about his son’s and grandsons what this man know bout trench town, reggae and I am sure his patois is not going to sound Jamaican it is not release as yet but in my opinion this nuh worth watching,”.

“Apparently Jamaica was on vacation from the globe this past year. No eligible Jamaican-born actor could be found? Was there a Jamaican linguist involved in the selection? My head is pre-hurting from the terrible mockery that’s gonna be made of our local dialect. Shame shame shame,” @jeezumz876 said.

“There are plenty of real Marley’s out there that don’t even have to act to play Bob, there’s nothing I hate more than a Jafakecan accent. I know they not doing this for the Jamaican audience only but neither did Bob and whole world understood him. authenticity would be a great homage to Bob,” dkewl1 said, while Ashanti added: “Bob didn’t father half of Jamaica’s male population for this to be happening.

There were some who said Paramount and Ziggy ought to have ruled out Ben-Adir, as him feigning being a native Patois speaker would be a distraction, which would be immediately picked up even by non-Jamaicans.

“One of the key ingredients tho is the accent. Jamaican accents are always butchered and it makes it hard to even want to listen to it because it tends to sound like it’s being mocked,” Dan It Cuts said.

“Lol, gonna have to hear this man fake a Jamaican accent for 2 hours, damn,” Giovannie Brady said.

“This gonna the worst Jamaican accent since Taye Diggs,” nchiddick79 referencing the American actor in his role as Winston in the film, How Stella Got Her Groove Back.

The fact that Ben-Azir is a ‘bald head’ brought on much chagrin.

“And they gonna give him a wig ????” Milo Lover said, while datallyute_dehh added: “Can’t have bald head a play Rasta”.

Others contended that the selection of Ben-Adir, during Reggae month, was yet another example of how Jamaican culture was being commodified and watered down.

“Jamaicans need to rise up against this travesty,” yyz_one said, while GoldiBratz noted: “I speak for all Jamaicans… we not watching this.”

In August 2020m Ben-Adir had come under fire after making statements, which African Americans found offensive, during a LA Times interview about any possible backlash, for him as a British actor, portraying two African American icons – Malcolm X and Barak Obama in Hollywood movies.

The Americans had said that they especially found condescending, the British national’s remarks aimed at actor Samuel L Jackson, who had questioned the use of Britons for black roles, and said that American Descendants Of Slavery (ADOS) “bring something special to ADOS roles”.

“Look, no disrespect to Americans, but America is the center of its own universe — culturally. It’s understandable that Samuel L. Jackson doesn’t have a clue what it’s like growing up as a Black man in inner-city London; he probably thinks we’re all sitting around drinking tea with the Queen…,” Ben-Adir had replied.

Labeling the Briton as having cognitive dissonance, the African Americans had rejected his “condescension towards Jackson” and his presumption that the acclaimed actor was “just some country yokel”, and not the “formally trained, educated and highly acclaimed actor of stage and screen longer than he (Ben Azir) has been alive”.

“He’s talking about Samuel L. Jackson doesn’t know anything about London or its people, at the same time he’s playing two Black Americans (1 ADOS).  He doesn’t know about Black Americans, 1 rooted in the fight for Civil Rights,” one commenter had said.

In addition to being labelled, among other things, “brash and offensive”, Ben-Azir’s statements that there were no acting opportunities for him in Britain, was also met with disdain.

“There is no career for me in the UK.  There is no work. I haven’t read a good script with a leading role or a decent solid role coming out of the U.K. for me in two years…  I spent my early 20s waiting to get to 30 so I could come to America and play interesting parts.   They send me “Gangs of London” here, and I’m supposed to get excited? You get a few scenes in a show on ITV and you’re supposed to be grateful?” he had said.

But African Americans were caustic in their responses, and had shot back on Twitter, that Black Actors in London should be pushing to get their industries going the way African Americans have had to fight for theirs.

One had contended that black British actors “coming over here to portray our icons and cultures is fraud and encourages you to lose yourself in other people and black Britons ought to “fight in their own land to portray their own icons” because in America, “they’re clones or doppelgängers”.

Some had vowed to boycott any project that featured Ben-Adir, while others took umbrage to his sarcastic remarks that “America is the center of its own universe”, doubling down on the argument that he and his compatriots should, in their own country, “fight the good fight against their exclusion”.

“Honestly, England is a developed country. U can fight for ur rights there much easier than in underdeveloped countries….So when I see a Black Brit actor here, all I see is a runner, a person who found the path of least resistance. I don’t respect it,” one woman had stated.

“No one is out there financing stories about them. Because there is no audience here in America for stories. Believe it or not even white Americans can see familiarity in black American stories. Because our stories are still American stories,” another had argued.