Marley family wants Bob’s biopic to be ‘authentic and meaningful’

Reinaldo Marcus Green, producer of the upcoming authorised Bob Marley biopic, has shared that he was “blown away” by the audition tape of Kingsley Ben-Adir, the British actor who has been chosen to play Marley.

In an interview with The Guardian, Green — who directed King Richard, the film for which Will Smith won an Oscar for Best Actor — described Ben-Adir’s audition tape as “exquisite”.

“I went back to look at his other work and realised how strong a performer he is,” he told The Guardian.

In February, it was announced that Ben-Adir, who played Malcolm X in Regina King’s 2020 semi-biographical drama, One Night in Miami…, was cast in the role after a year-long search for the leading man.

Much ado has been made in Jamaica about Ben-Adir playing Bob, with naysayers making up criticisms, like Bob Marley would have a problem with “fake-locks man” playing him, and putting forth suggestions that one of Marley’s sons, grandsons, or a Jamaican actor should have gotten the job.

Green, in his interview, did not mention any of the concerns coming out of the island. However, he noted that the reggae icon’s family is concerned that Marley “is portrayed in a way that feels authentic and meaningful”. Green is reportedly working closely with Ziggy, Stephen and Cedella Marley on this project, and he revealed that with the script now finished, “we can sit down with the family and Bob’s inner circle to fill in any blanks”.

Ben-Adir has no musical training and will have to learn to play the guitar, but Green has no concerns about him being able to fill the shoes of the musical giant. He told The Guardian, “I was more interested in his acting. The same way that I approached King Richard, the two young actresses that play Venus and Serena [Saniyya Sidney and Demi Singleton] had no sports capabilities whatsoever. It’s about being great actors – and then training.”

Green seemed to be confident that despite the time frame for preparation, Ben-Adir “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”.

This means watching videos, archival footage and reading material about the reggae legend.

As far as the actor actually singing, the prodcuer said that it “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 said.

The Bob Marley story was told in a 2012 documentary produced by Kevin McDonald as well as in a stage production, Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical, which opened in London last year. Arinzé Kene plays Marley in the musical.

Ziggy Marley had said last year that the biopic would pay homage to his father “in a manner that has never been undertaken before,” and would tell Bob’s story “in a way that truly honours him and will also entertain, enlighten, uplift and inspire his fans and audiences around the world”.

The Paramount Pictures film, Green said, will focus on the 1970s, when Marley survived an assassination attempt in Jamaica and fled to London, where he recorded his album Exodus. He noted that “although it will celebrate his life, it will portray a man who was “flawed and complex with so many contradictions”.

Ben-Adir was born in London to a black Trinidadian mother and a white British father. He graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 2011.

yasmine.peru@gleanerjm.com