Dwight Henry joins Jesse L. Martin, S. Epatha Merkerson in Marvin Gaye BiopicPosted by Wilson Morales
April 26, 2013
Source: Deadline
Dwight Henry (the bakery owner who played Hushpuppy’s father in Beasts Of The Southern Wild) joins Rent and Law & Order‘s Jesse L. Martin and S. Epatha Merkerson in the Marvin Gaye biopic. Henry will play Marvin Gay, Sr., Gaye’s father, who silenced his son with a gunshot, while Merkerson plays Gaye’s mother, Alberta Gaye.
Focus Features International will sell worldwide rights to the untitled biopic that Julien Temple will direct with Martin starring as Marvin Gaye, the iconic soul singer with the sweet voice and troubled personal life.
Script is by Matthew Broughton, and In Bruges‘ Brendan Gleeson will play the role of Freddy Cousaert, who met Marvin Gaye in 1981 in the Belgian fishing village of Ostend when the singer was battling everything from drug problems to the IRS. Cousaert helped the singer regain his mojo, leading to a comeback that included hits like Sexual Healing. Vicky Krieps (Hanna) also stars.
Frederick Bestall of Auric Entertainment Pty. Ltd. and Jimmy De Brabant from Delux Productions are producing. Grammy-winning producer Vassal Benford will executive produce with Peter Davy. Vassal will also compose the score, after producing records for Mariah Carey, R. Kelly, Flo Rida, Sheryl Crow, Patti LaBelle, and others. Production is underway in Luxemburg and Belgium.
“Marvin Gaye is an iconic idol with a bittersweet story spanning success, fame and the torments of addiction,” said Alison Thompson, co-president of Focus Features International. “With his long established track record in making movies about music and the great musicians who touch us all, Julien and his team are the ideal partners to bring the extraordinary life of Marvin Gaye to audiences around the world.”
