MOVIE NEWS – British actor Kingsley Ben-Adir plays Bob Marley in the biopic Bob Marley: One Love.

At first, many were surprised that the king of reggae was not played by a musician, but director Reinaldo Marcus Green justified his choice. “The most important thing for me was to choose a good actor, because the other skills that the role requires can pretty much be learned anyway,” Green told the Observer. – In my previous film, King Richard, the tennis champion Williams sisters were played by actors who had no tennis skills whatsoever, and had not even played sports in particular before, but they learned how to hit backhands along the way. The movie also worked because the good actors really learn everything they need for the role, while it’s useless to ask a real tennis star for such a task if he can’t play.”

King Richard was nominated for six Oscars, including star Will Smith as Richard Williams, a tennis coach who turns his daughters into superstars. With his independent film, Green immediately became one of the most sought-after directors, which is why they were entrusted with the production of the film about Marley.

Ben-Adir is also not an insignificant player, he gained serious fame as the main actor of the three Oscar-nominated A Night in Miami, where he played Malcom X, a Muslim priest fighting for the rights of blacks. The actor also gave a memorable performance in the Gangs of Birmingham series.

It was an important aspect that Ben-Adir, just like Marley, comes from a mixed ethnic family, and for this reason alone he was able to slip into the skin of the extravagant musician without any obstacles. “The basic personality traits were there, along with the quality of the performance and the extent to which the actor can identify with the philosophical and social ideals represented by the character,” continued Green. – It was obvious that Kingsley would not learn to play music at the same level in the time available as Marley. But he was able to immerse himself in his world, he understood at which end the guitar should be held and why exactly there, but above all, what it feels like to be a musician.”

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

Source: UIP

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