Having already demonstrated his acting chops as Ford Prefect in the underrated big screen version of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and most recently alongside Jack Black in Michel Gondry's Be Kind Rewind, it seems only natural for Mos Def to blend his talents for his next cinematic outing. The rapper turned thespian will play legendary guitarist/songwriter Chuck Berry in Cadillac Records, currently being filmed in New Jersey for Sony BMG pictures.
Set in 1950, the film documents the lives of Chess Records co-founder Leonard Chess and a handful of the label's most famous artists. Director Darnell Martin has assembled an interesting cast of musicians and actors to tell the story, including Adrien Brody as Chess, Beyonce Knowles as Etta James, Jeffrey Wright as Muddy Waters and Cedric the Entertainer as Willie Dixon.
Mos Def seems an apt enough choice to take on the massively influential and massively fingered Berry. Let's hope this casting stunt inspires the Weinsteins and Rita Marley to round up at least as suitable a lead to play Bob if their biopic based on Rita's autobiography No Woman No Cry: My Life With Bob Marley ever sees the light of day.
Set in 1950, the film documents the lives of Chess Records co-founder Leonard Chess and a handful of the label's most famous artists. Director Darnell Martin has assembled an interesting cast of musicians and actors to tell the story, including Adrien Brody as Chess, Beyonce Knowles as Etta James, Jeffrey Wright as Muddy Waters and Cedric the Entertainer as Willie Dixon.
Mos Def seems an apt enough choice to take on the massively influential and massively fingered Berry. Let's hope this casting stunt inspires the Weinsteins and Rita Marley to round up at least as suitable a lead to play Bob if their biopic based on Rita's autobiography No Woman No Cry: My Life With Bob Marley ever sees the light of day.