MOVIE NEWS – Kingsley Ben-Adir initially did not want to play Bob Marley in the biographical film about reggae’s greatest figure, but the musician’s eldest son, one of the film’s producers, Ziggy Marley, persuaded him until he finally agreed. “I was absolutely sure that I was not suitable for this role,” the British actor told Entertainment Weekly. – I can not sing. I can not dance. I asked the producers if they had looked around the world to see who should be invited. They said yes. Well, I answered, then choose someone else.”

However, Ziggy Marley was adamant, so Ben-Adir thought to give it a shot, put together an audition video of how he would play Marley. He studied recordings of the musician for a week and, as he put it, completely clicked with the material about Marley‘s 1977 War concert in London. At that time, not only Ziggy was convinced that he was the real one, but also the members of the deceased musician’s large family who participated in the production of the biographical film called Bob Marley: One Love. That is, the producers: Cedella, one of Marley’s wives, Rita, Marley’s other daughter, and the executive producer, Orly Marley, Ziggy’s wife.

While making the audition video, Ben-Adir realized that the producers were right after all, that the exceptional role really belonged to him, and he accepted the invitation: “I immersed myself in Marley‘s world, and I began to feel who this man really was and why he did all the things that we will never forget.”

Bob Marley: One Love shows how the Jamaican musician became world famous, why they wanted to kill him in December 1976, and how the One Love Peace Concert in Kingston in April 1978 became of historical importance, the purpose of which was to bring peace to Jamaica, which is struggling with a serious political crisis, by burying the trenches between the opposing parties. Of course, the film also gives a glimpse into Marley‘s turbulent personal life.

Ben-Adir learned to sing and play the guitar, and throughout the film he performs Marley’s songs. “It’s not certain that all of them turned out to be perfect,” says the actor. “I tortured many people’s ears for a long time during filming.” During the final cut of the film, Ben-Adir‘s vocals were mixed with Marley‘s original recordings for an authentic effect. “Bob can’t be imitated perfectly because his singing and dancing came from an inner experience, so I had to put my own version into this film and I think it works,” explains Ben-Adir. >.

(Bob Marley: One Love – domestic premiere: February 22, 2024)

Source: UIP