Cedella Marley Promises ‘Authencity, Significant Jamaican Participation’ In Paramount’s Bob Marley Biopic
Cedella Marley has promised ‘authenticity with significant Jamaican participation’, as a casting call has been made for supporting actors from the island to audition for Paramount Pictures’ Bob Marley biopic.
A Jamaican casting director has been retained, to scout for talent to play several roles, among them young mixed-race males ages eight to 13 and 14 to 25, preferably with the ability to sing and play football.
In a Tuff Gong release, Cedella, who is co-executive producer of the film along with her mother Rita Marley and brothers, Ziggy and Stephen, said that ‘addressing the Jamaican casting sessions was a crucial element in the overall success of the film’, which has been heavily criticized by Rastafarians and Reggae fans who have objected to British actor Kingsley Ben-Adir, playing Bob Marley.
“As much as Bob Marley is a global icon with a universal message, his roots are entrenched in Jamaica. His connection to Jamaica, beginning as a young boy in the hills of St Ann, remains an inspiration and a dream. We are devoting our attention to ensuring it is authentic with significant Jamaican participation,” Cedella noted.
The casting director is expected to recruit boys between five and eight and nine and 12, as well as girls between seven and 10 and 11 to 13, supposedly to play the childhood roles of Marley’s eldest children, as well as a “strong black female lead”, in her late 20s to early 30s, preferably, as well, with singing ability, seemingly to play the role of his wife Rita.
The casting call also seeks local musicians and actors with outgoing personalities and the ability to act in the film, which is scheduled for release in early 2024.
When the announcement was made of Ben-Adir’s recruitment for the role in February, there was a popular outcry from Rastafarians especially, who contended that, among other things, Bob Marley would not want a “fake Rasta” wearing a wig or extensions representing him, and that Ky-Mani Marley or one of his six other sons or grandsons, ought to have been selected.
However, Ziggy Marley, Bob’s eldest son appears to have shrugged off the dissenting voices.
“I am happy that our Jamaican brothers and sisters similarly embrace this project,” he said in the release.
“We view this project as a continuation of the tremendous and unending mission of sharing our father’s commitment to the truth and to spreading love and oneness as he did during his time with us, and we’re very excited to be in this phase,”, he added.
According to the release from the Marleys, hopefuls who are selected for the support roles, will be invited to a special casting call at the Bob Marley Museum at 56 Hope Road in Kingston. Both Ziggy and Cedella will be integrally involved in the casting and selection process and expect to be interacting directly with the actors.
Aspirants are to send a headshot, in addition to a full-length photo and a brief description of any singing or acting experience to: castyourrole@gmail.com.
A few days ago, the director of the biopic Reinaldo Marcus Green, in addressing the controversy surrounding Ben-Adir’s recruitment for the role, told The Guardian that the Brits ability to act is all that matters, and that he was “blown away by his audition tape” which he deemed as “exquisite”. He had also said that he had examined Ben-Adir’s past and realized how much of a strong performer he was.
According to Green, in preparing for the role, which will focus on the 1970s, when Bob survived an assassination attempt in Jamaica and went into self-imposed exile in London, Ben Adir will be reading books about the t. Ann native, watch and listen to his performances, and learn how to play the guitar.
In explaining why he chose an actor as opposed to a musician to play the role of Bob Marley, Green pointed to the fact that Saniyya Sidney and Demi Singleton, whom he chose to play the roles of tennis greats Venus and Serena Williams in King Richard, had “no sporting capabilities whatsoever”.
“It’s about being great actors – and then training,” Green had explained, of what was his Oscar Award-winning his studio directorial debut, which starred Will Smith as Richard Williams, the father of the two tennis icons, who coached then to sporting superstardom.
Green had also pointed to Ben-Adir being of mixed race, a son of a white English father and a mother whose parents were from Trinidad and Tobago, which he said were “fundamental characteristics which are so important in the casting”.
“Then it’s about performance and ideas. He’s never going to be able to play like Bob in the time that he has to prepare for the role. But he can immerse himself in the world of Bob and folks around him, understanding everything from how to hold the guitar to what it’s like being a musician,” the director had said.
“Right now we don’t know how much Kingsley will actually sing. There might be a combination of real voice and the real tracks. You can’t mimic Bob Marley. You have to have an essence of who he was,” he had added.