Posted by | Ray Cornelius
BET.com is reporting that comedic actor Nick Cannon has been chosen to play former drug kingpin “Freeway” Rick Ross in a new biopic.
The infamous drug dealer turned youth activist revealed recently via Facebook that he wants the Drumline star for the upcoming project that will focus on his days as one of Los Angeles’ biggest cocaine distributors in the late 80’s and early 90’s. Ross hopes the film will educate the next generation about the perils of selling narcotics.
“I’ve been wanting him [Nick Cannon] to play my role since ’96,” Ross revealed. “We got hooked up, I met him. I love his personality.
Cannon goes on to say, “This is history in the making right here…We are going to get this thing right. However long it takes, his story has got to be told.”
Jessie L. Martin and Lenny Kravitz
In other casting news, Indie Wire is reporting that Broadway vet Jessie L. Martin is back on as Motown legend Marvin Gaye in the new biopic, Sexual Healing.
As previously reported, American rock star Lenny Kravitz had replaced Martin as the lead for the film that would chronicle Gaye’s 1981 stint in Ostend, Belgium, where he recorded his biggest-selling album, Midnight Love. Also added to the cast is Brendan Gleeson, who will play the role of Belgium promoter Freddy Cousaert. The film is still being directed by Julien Temple and set to start production this month.
This switch should appease Marvin Gaye III, who was very upset over Kravitz being cast as his father and even threatened legal action. The film is loosely based on the book “Trouble Man.”