Jamie Foxx is Bob Marley
Filed under: Music & Musicals, Casting, Newsstand
Remember how absurd it sounded when Jamie Foxx was cast as Ray Charles? Well, prepare yourself for another outrageous announcement: Foxx is said to be starring as Bob Marley in a biopic directed by Oscar-nominee Rachid Bouchareb (Dust of Life). The film was conceived by Bob's widow, Rita, and Bourchareb says that he wants to show the reggae icon's life from childhood (he didn't lose a brother, did he?) through to his young adulthood and interest in Africa.
I feel pretty good about this film being made by the Algerian-born Bouchareb and after Ray, I also feel pretty good about Foxx. He doesn't really look like the singer, and imagining him in dreadlocks only makes me think of In Living Color sketches, but he might just be able to pull it off. I'm someone who doesn't mind departing from literal and identical portrayals of famous people, though -- I'd rather the actor play the character in the movie, not try to be a definitive representation of the real person. Then again, it is hard not to associate some singers with the actor who played him or her: Kilmer as Morrison, Busey as Holly, Spacek as Lynn, J.Lo as Selena, Cagney as Cohan.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 18)
2-19-2008 @ 11:45PM
kyle said...
yes like jason said Bob Marley was half white but was never close to his father.I think jamie foxx is a good actor but just not for this role.
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8-11-2008 @ 8:32AM
FromROMANIA said...
the best man to play Bob in this movie is his son Ky-Mani Marley....this is a joke..jamie foxx?? Ky-Mani is the best for this role.....The Legend must be respected....peace!
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9-07-2008 @ 10:43AM
casey said...
I like Jamie Foxx very much as an actor, but I do not see him as Bob Marley. There is no physical resemblance (maybe that is not necessary, as Denzel Washington played Malcolm X and Angela Bassett played Tina Turner and neither look like the people they played) and I don't know if Jamie can master the complex patois. If there have to have an American actor, perhaps someone with more of a physical resemblance to Bob Marly (Hill Harper?) OR give a Jamaican actor a chance.
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6-05-2006 @ 4:21PM
Alex said...
This is not a good thing. I dare say I have less against Jamie Foxx than some people do. I didn't think Ray was that great of a film but I think that Foxx did more with Ray Charles than merely imitate him. But he is not Bob Marley, nor could he ever be. It's nothing against his acting at all; it just disturbs me that it's assumed that any black actor can play any black icon. Jamie Foxx as Bob Marley makes as much sense to me as Morgan Freeman playing Miles Davis.
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6-05-2006 @ 4:29PM
Christopher Campbell said...
You've got it wrong, Alex. Martha reported a few weeks ago that Don Cheadle would play Miles.
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6-05-2006 @ 4:40PM
Alex said...
Sorry, I just randomly picked a black actor and black icon role that he would not be suited for.
Cheadle as Miles is pretty good though.
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6-05-2006 @ 4:43PM
Christopher Campbell said...
I know you were just making a point. I don't think Cheadle is that good for Davis, though. I'm not really sure who could pull that one off, really.
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6-05-2006 @ 4:55PM
Jason said...
First and foremost, Bob Marley is NOT a "black" icon. Bob Marley's father was as white as they come, a British army captain born in Wales. His mother was a Jamaican born woman of African descent. Yes Bob was half Welsh, half African. Bob was a beacon of hope and a troubadour of the POOR people in Jamaica, not just black people. Eventually he became the voice for poor people all around the world. Casting Jamie Foxx for the role of Bob Marley is about as appropriate as casting Michael J. Fox. At the very least cast an actor who shares Bob's complexion.
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6-05-2006 @ 5:42PM
Gordon said...
Ridiculous. Lets get back to reality people.
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6-05-2006 @ 6:48PM
tygut1 said...
I think Foxx would be horrible as Bob Marley. He did a good job as Ray Charles. I care more about the Bob Marley story than I did about the Ray Charles story. Jamie Foxx is, in general, overrated. Ray is pretty much the only good thing he has done. He is going to ruin this film.
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6-05-2006 @ 6:57PM
Boyd said...
The problem is that I have never seen an American actor that can do a convincing Jamaican accent. Maybe I have an atypically sensitive ear to the sound of the idiom because I lived there for some time as a child, but I've never heard any American actor do the accent justice. They all sound laughably bad. I can pick out a genuine Jamaican accent in half a sentence and the phonies make me cringe. Just think of Tubbs on Miami Vice, or the gang in that horrible (redundant I know) Steven Segal movie. I hope Foxx can pull it off, but I have a sinking feeling that "In Living Color" will be about as good as it will get.
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6-05-2006 @ 7:26PM
Ajay Shroff said...
Whats his next role? That of Stevie Wonder?
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6-05-2006 @ 9:41PM
Lowell Taubman MD said...
It's about time that a Marley movie was made. IMO, J. Foxs did an outstanding Job in Ray. More importantly , the Marley story needs to be brought to film.
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6-06-2006 @ 8:04AM
Mickey Beck said...
I have great respect for Jamie Foxx & his acting capabilities. I have to admit he surprised me with Ray. But for Bob Marley, who's iconic image has transcended decades, I believe a better choice could've been made. Wasn't Mos Def (looking very similar to Bob Marley) or one of his sons originally supposed to play the part. Being the huge Marley fan that I am, I honestly believe I could pull off the part better than Foxx might. I guess we'll see.
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6-06-2006 @ 8:31AM
smallAxe said...
Come on. A good Marley Biopic will sell itself. You don't need to sacrifice gettinig the most realistic portrayal you can find for a huge name. Foxx did a great Ray Charles but I can't see him pulling off Marley (maybe the act but not the look). True Marley fans will need to look at him in the movie and see Bob.
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6-06-2006 @ 10:09AM
Mary said...
NO NO NO.
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6-06-2006 @ 12:50PM
afs said...
Jar Jar Binks would do a better Bob Marley than Jammie Foxx.
And you forget Bruce Campbell as Elvis (Bubba Ho-tep).
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6-06-2006 @ 2:14PM
romeo said...
As a jamaican living in jamaica, i find this story very disturbing. Having Jamie Fox playing our icon is just gonna look like another comedy. No No No.....i respect Jamie Fox...but No....he is gonna make it look ridiculous with his fake locks.
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6-06-2006 @ 2:47PM
Megan Romer said...
I don't think it's the worst thing in the world; I'm optimistic as to how it'll turn out. I remember saying the same thing about Ray Charles (there's no way that guy can do justice to him, yada yada...) and I was wrong. Plus, I agree that this is a movie that needs to be made.
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6-06-2006 @ 2:53PM
Kate said...
I think wyclef jean would be more suited to play Marley. I love Marley and Jamie Foxx would be a great injustice to him and his message.
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