Another one gos to the oyinbo africans .Hudson plays Mandela's wife now Chiwetel will play Fela ! What of Jim Iyke and co ?
STAR singer Dapo Oyebanjo (a.k.a D’ Banj), has failed to meet the role of Fela in a Broadway musical audition for a movie, which chronicles the life and times of afro-beat legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, who was born (Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti).
Titled: Fela: The Life and Times of an African Musical Icon, the organisers said D’ Banj was part of the audition in New York a few weeks ago, but opted for Hollywood actor, Chiwetel Ejiofor as the best artiste for the role of Fela in the biopic about the legendary musician and activist.
Ejiofor is an award-winning U.K-based Nigerian professional artiste, whose impressive profile in the movie industry arguably gave him an edge for the role. Ejiofor was in 2001 nominated for a Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for the 2000 season, for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Blue and Orange at the Royal National Theatre, Cottesloe stage. In the same year, the prolific actor was awarded the Jack Tinker Award for Most Promising Newcomer at the 2000 London Critics Circle. He also bagged the Theatre Awards in Drama for his performance in Blue and Orange performed at the Royal National Theatre: Lyttelton and later at the Duchess Theatre.
In 2000, the British actor was awarded the London Evening Standard Theatre Award for Outstanding Newcomer for his performance in Blue and Orange.
The movie is separate from the Broadway musical. Focus has its own feature rights package that include Fela’s music, rights gathered by producers Lydia Pilcher and Leigh Blake. McQueen said the role sounds like a real opportunity for Ejiofor to shine in a high profile film, after lead work in small films such as Redbelt and Kinky Boots and supporting work in studio films like Children of Men and Love Actually.
Titled: Fela: The Life and Times of an African Musical Icon, the organisers said D’ Banj was part of the audition in New York a few weeks ago, but opted for Hollywood actor, Chiwetel Ejiofor as the best artiste for the role of Fela in the biopic about the legendary musician and activist.
Ejiofor is an award-winning U.K-based Nigerian professional artiste, whose impressive profile in the movie industry arguably gave him an edge for the role. Ejiofor was in 2001 nominated for a Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for the 2000 season, for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Blue and Orange at the Royal National Theatre, Cottesloe stage. In the same year, the prolific actor was awarded the Jack Tinker Award for Most Promising Newcomer at the 2000 London Critics Circle. He also bagged the Theatre Awards in Drama for his performance in Blue and Orange performed at the Royal National Theatre: Lyttelton and later at the Duchess Theatre.
The movie is separate from the Broadway musical. Focus has its own feature rights package that include Fela’s music, rights gathered by producers Lydia Pilcher and Leigh Blake. McQueen said the role sounds like a real opportunity for Ejiofor to shine in a high profile film, after lead work in small films such as Redbelt and Kinky Boots and supporting work in studio films like Children of Men and Love Actually.
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