February is the month of love and at the same time Black History Month, which is an opportunity to honor love and black people. This Valentine’s Day, February 14, marks the anticipated release of “Bob Marley: One Love”. This biopic is a journey through the life and music of the immortal singer, guitarist, and songwriter, Bob Marley, narrating his amazing career won by all the influential people who made his way to the top.
Helmed by Reinaldo Marcus Green, who previously directed “King Richard,” and written by a talented group of creatives including Terence Winter (“The Wolf of Wall Street”), Frank E. Flowers (“Shooting Stars”), and Zach Baylin (“Creed III”), the film is expected to keep the audience’s attention by showcasing a factual portrayal of Marley’s individual and artistic transformation.
“Bob Marley: One Love” movie is going to plunge deep into the life of the reggae icon as he tries to break through obstacles, preaching love and harmony through his greatness in music. Ultimately, Marley lost his battle against cancer. As moviegoers ready themselves to dive into Marley’s incredible experience in the movie, this guide gives an insider’s view of the amazing cast that makes his story come to life.
Kingsley Ben-Adir
Bob Marley
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Kingsley Ben-Adir is renowned for his portrayal of iconic black figures, having embodied former President Barack Obama in the 2020 miniseries “The Comey Rule” and Malcolm X in the 2020 drama “One Night in Miami.” Now, he’s set to take on the role of Bob Marley in the biopic “One Love.” Beyond this pivotal role, Ben-Adir has showcased his versatility in a range of projects, from the mysterious Gravik in “The Secret Invasion” to the enigmatic Ken in “Barbie,” and the authoritative Col. Ben Younger in “Peaky Blinders,” to the complex Karim Washington in “The OA.”
Here, the actor’s ability to copy different accents is showcased when he takes on the Jamaican accent to play the role of Bob Marley. Marley left no doubt about the significance of his impact on Jamaican music, when he blended reggae, ska and rocksteady to create an amazing sound that was liked worldwide. Additionally, Marley became an icon through his embrace of Rastafarianism which, in turn, put spirituality under one roof with the music. Ben-Adir leaves no stone unturned while bringing the essence and true character of the late Bob Marley to the movie screen.
However, aside from his musical legacy, Bob Marley was very vocal in political matters, and he particularly stood for the legalization of cannabis and the idea of Pan-Africanism. His forthrightness always made him be in the direction of controversy and danger. In a horrible occurrence in 1976, Marley was miraculously saved after he had been assassinated at his Kingston home. Seventy gunmen attempted to siege his house, which was a terrifying case that was most likely related to politics. It happened nine days before the concert Marley was about to perform at and which Smile Jamaica had organized during a not so peaceful period of violence in the country.
Lashana Lynch
Rita Marley
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Rita Marley, who was Bob Marley’s wife for 15 years until his death in 1981, was not only his wife but also an important person in the reggae scene on her own rights. She, a talented reggae singer, was born in Santiago de Cuba and raised in Kingston, Jamaica and was a member of the Soulettes who had previously provided backing vocals for Bob Marley’s Wailers band.
In 2004, Rita Marley shared her captivating story in her memoir titled “No Woman, No Cry: My Life with Bob Marley,” is another one of her book which received another recognition when she was given the Jamaican Consulate General’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022.
In the biopic “Bob Marley: One Love,” British actress Lashana Lynch portrays Rita Marley. Lynch, the actress who played Maria Rambeau in “Captain Marvel” and its sequel “The Marvels” and appears in “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” as herself is a gifted actress with great range. Totally, Lynch in “The Woman King,” an historical action-adventure film inspired by the Agojie, an all-female warrior unit in West Africa, as a way of showing her ability as an actress. Rita Marley’s depiction is expected to shed light on the power of strength and resilience this icon possessed in the reggae community.
James Norton
Chris Blackwell
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Chris Blackwell started Island Records in 1959. His paramount role in popularizing reggae music was acknowledged when he was induced into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001 as being the “single person most responsible for turning the world onto reggae music.” Island Records, in collaboration with Tuff Gong, is poised to release the soundtrack EP for “Bob Marley: Music by “One Love” on the film’s opening night.
The Briton actor James Norton, known for the films “Little Women”, “A Little Life” and the TV show “Happy Valley”, will play Chris Blackwell in the biopic. Norton’s contemporaneous projects include the biographical drama “Joy” with Thomasin McKenzie and Bill Nighy and drama miniseries “Playing Nice”. Norton is capable of expressing richness and realism in his role as the Island Records’ founder due to his eclectic filmography.
Sheldon Shepherd
Neville Garrick
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Sheldon Shepherd is praised for his outstanding performances in the crime-drama “Better Mus’ Come,” where he played Ricky as a character giving us a fictionalized account of Jamaica’s political crisis in the 1970s. Besides, he also appeared as King Fox in Idris Elba’s crime drama “Yardie”.
In our modern-day adaptation of the Shakespeare’s timeless play “Romeo and Juliet” named “ROMEO + JULIET 4EVA”, Shepherd will portray the role of Lord Capulet.
However, his most recent role of note is in “Bob Marley: One Love,” he plays the character of Neville Garrick, a Jamaican graphic artist and photographer. Garrick was really important as a Bob Marley art director during the years of 1970s and 1980s, creating remarkable images that shaped the aura of the reggae movement. In addition, he was an art director for the Tuff Gong label which recorded albums for Bob Marley and the Wailers. The Bob Marley Museum in Kingston, Jamaica was founded by Garrick after Marley’s death in 1981 who was the museum’s executive director until his demise in November of 2023. Through portrayal, the filmmaker aims to showcase Garrick’s significance in his music and art.
Umi Myers
Cindy Breakspeare
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Cindy Breakspeare had a significant romantic connection with Bob Marley despite his marriage to Rita from 1976 to his death in 1981. Breakspeare, a Canadian of Jamaican father and a white Canadian mother of British origin, proved to be a great Canadian-Jamaican jazz singer and musician.
Her glory year was in 1976 when she was crowned Miss World, the same year that she met Bob Marley. Their relationship led to the birth of a reggae musician son named Damien Marley. Some people think that Marley’s songs “Turn Your Lights Down Low” and “Waiting in Vain” were influenced by Breakspeare.
In the biopic, “Bob Marley: One Love,” Breakspeare will be played by Umi Myers. She is known for her role in the TV show “Silent Witness.” Myers is set to bring credibility and subtlety to the characterization of Breakspeare’s position in Marley’s life.
Michael Gandolfini, known for his role in “The Many Saints of Newark,” joins a talented ensemble cast, including Nadine Marshall from “The Smoking Room,” Micheal Ward of “Top Boy” fame, Anthony Welsh from “Starred Up,” Tosin Cole from “House Party,” and Luca Slade from “Everything Now,” all in undisclosed roles for the highly anticipated biopic “Bob Marley: One Love.”
The cast member from “Nashville”, Sam Palladio will be Joe Strummer from The Clash, who became known as the one who covered with Johnny Cash one of Marley’s songs “Redemption Song”. Other roles in the cast are Naomi Cowan as Marcia Griffiths, Hector Donald Lewis as Carlton Carly Barrett, Anna Share Blake as Judy Mowatt, Sundra Oakley as Diane Jobson, and Alexx A-Game as Peter Tosh.
“Bob Marley: One Love” released in theaters in the United States on February 14th, and in the United Kingdom on the 16th of February, 2024.
Conclusion
“Bob Marley: One Love” is set to be a very compelling journey into the life and legacy of the iconic reggae musician. Seeing the likable cast embody Marley’s journey, watchers are in for a cinematic experience which plunges into the heart of the creative evolution of one of the greatest musical geniuses of all time.
Kingsley Ben-Adir is brilliant as Bob Marley himself, while the supporting cast featuring Lashana Lynch, James Norton, Sheldon Shepherd, Umi Myers, and more delivers detail and richness to their characters. They will bring their unique artistry towards the characters that made Bob Marley’s world, from Rita Marley to Neville Garrick, Cindy Breakspeare, and others.
With a mix of established talent and rising stars, “Bob Marley: One Love” is a recognition of Marley’s lasting influence on music. It is also a praise towards the people who built and sustained him. When the movie comes to cinemas, people will have a chance to reveal themselves in the eternal message of unity, love, and social change that remains a part of Bob Marley’s music and legacy.
FAQs
Q1: Who is playing the role of Bob Marley in the biopic?
A: The British actor Kingsley Ben-Adir, who has played Obama and Malcolm X in other projects, will be stepping into the shoes of the leading role of Bob Marley.
Q2: Who is portraying Rita Marley, Bob Marley’s wife?
A: Lashana Lynch, from Captain Marvel and The Woman King, is Rita Marley’s character.
Q3: Which actor is portraying Chris Blackwell, the founder of Island Records?
A: The British actor James Norton, whose notable works include Little Women and Happy Valley, is playing Chris Blackwell, a reggae music record company head who discovered this genre.
Q4: Who is playing Neville Garrick, Bob Marley’s art director?
A: Jamaican actor Sheldon Shepherd, who was in Better Mus’ Come and Yardie, now plays the role of Neil Garrick, the artist and photographer closely linked to Marley.
Q5: When is the “Bob Marley: One Love” biopic scheduled for release?
A: The film is set to hit theaters in the US on February 14, 2024, and in the UK on February 16, 2024.
Amit Gupta is a 2015 graduate of RTU in Rajasthan, India. After working over a decade as an additional writer at News article, he decided to start his own news publication. He mainly focuses on entertainment, Movies, Web series articles and editorials. He likes to listen to music and play cricket in his free time. Follow On Facebook.
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