Kingsley Ben-Adir had already donned the roles of Barack Obama (The Comey Rule) and Malcolm X (One Night in Miami…) before Ziggy Marley asked him to play his late father in the upcoming biographical flick, Bob Marley: One Love. This eagerly awaited biopic, helmed by Reinaldo Marcus Green, is set to release over Valentine’s Day weekend. But even though the ‘musician biopic’ genre has been very popular lately, leading actor, Ben-Adir actually needed some convincing to star in the film.
Expectedly, fans of Marley eagerly anticipated the release of the biopic, which focused on the life and legacy of the legendary reggae musician. However, did you know Ben-Adir was one of those who advocated for redrafts because the original script appeared to lack authenticity and deviate from the essence of Marley’s story?
Kingsley Ben-Adir Took A Stand, Ensured Bob Marley’s Story Won’t be ‘White-washed’
Bob Marley, the acclaimed Jamaican reggae singer, is the only option that comes to mind when thinking of soothing music. No one can make you feel happier than the late star, which is quite an accomplishment given how hard it can be to be happy these days. That is how much of an influence this man has had on popular music and culture. Bob Marley: One Love, a movie centered on his life and musical career, is Hollywood’s way of honoring his legacy.
That is why Kingsley Ben-Adir, the actor who plays Marley in the upcoming biopic, has emerged as a beacon in the fight against Whitewashing. He was among those who insisted on revisions to the “early” script as it failed to meet the “no White-washing” requirements.
He recently told The Guardian that the family was asking to “keep it real, completely authentic, no White-washing.” And this “was not fully reflected” in the “early scripts” he read.
Bob Marley was a Jamaican singer, guitarist, and songwriter who is recognized as one of the pioneers of the reggae genre. Thus, to preserve the biopic’s “individuality”, Ben-Adir pushed for rewrites, even though that might jeopardize the movie’s box office prospects:
“I don’t know, maybe the financial stakes aren’t as important to me as to other people. I was always, like, ‘How cool would it be to have a foreign language movie, no subtitles?’ It gives this biopic its individuality.”
For those who are unaware, casting practices in the film industry include placing White actors in non-White roles, which is known as ‘Whitewashing’. Every Jamaican character, including Ben-Adir’s Marley, speaks to the other in “Jamaican patois”, as they would in real life.
Kingsley Ben-Adir Initially Doubted Whether He Could Pull off a Bob Marley Role
Kingsley Ben-Adir was not sure he could pull off the role of Bob Marley at first. Last year, he talked about how challenging it was to play the legendary reggae musician in the biopic Bob Marley: One Love. The actor, 37, informed EW:
“There were a lot of reservations. I was completely convinced that there’s no point in auditioning for this. I can’t sing. I can’t dance. My question was if they’d been on a worldwide search and they said yes. And I said maybe they should go on another one.”
Ultimately, he gave in and began putting together an audition tape after spending the weekend watching Bob Marley’s shows. His journey to becoming the embodiment of the reggae pioneer started with a vote of confidence from Ziggy Marley, who co-produced the biopic.
Also read: A Biopic of Reggae Music Legend Bob Marley is Officially in the Works at Paramount
In preparation for the role, Ben-Adir studied guitar and singing. He noted:
“Not necessarily well all of the time. I butchered a lot of people’s ears for many days. Bob’s not someone you can choreograph or copy. His singing and dancing is from an internal experience, so you really have to find your own version of that for yourself.”
This is a great chance for Kingsley Ben-Adir after a career filled with great supporting parts, one of his best-known roles being that of Malcolm X in One Night in Miami…
Bob Marley: One Love, which also stars James Norton as Chris Blackwell and Lashana Lynch as Rita Marley, will hit theaters on February 14, 2024.
