Bob Marley: One Love tells the true story of the reggae icon. The movie shows the obstacles and adversity that he faced on his journey and how his revolutionary music touched the world with his message of love and unity. The film shows Bob Marley’s life and career until his death in 1981.
Bob Marley: One Love is directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green. The script was written by Green, Terence Winter, Frank E. Flowers, and Zach Baylin, based on a story by Winter and Flowers. Bob Marley: One Love stars Kingsley Ben-Adir (Secret Invasion), Lashana Lynch (Captain Marvel), and James Norton (Little Women).
Bob Marley: One Love’s True Story Explained
Bob Marley: One Love brings the reggae legend to the big screen, tracing his journey from his rise to stardom and then to his eventual passing.
Screen Rant interviewed star Kingsley Ben-Adir about his role in Bob Marley: One Love. He explained how he and Lynch met seven months before filming began and built a relationship that could be at the core of their onscreen dynamic. Ben-Adir also shared why he felt it was important to show a more human side of Marley.
Kingsley Ben-Adir Talks Bob Marley: One Love
Kingsley, I feel like this is a movie we need right now. Bob Marley is iconic. Everybody connects with his music, and this is no easy task because Bob Marley was not an ordinary man. Can you talk about your approach to the role in tapping into Bob’s consciousness and energy for Bob Marley: One Love?
Kingsley Ben-Adir: Yeah. We were trying to, we as in me, the family, the studio, Ray, Lashana, everyone involved, we wanted to share a personal side to Bob, a more vulnerable side, a more human side because everyone’s got an idea of who he is. Everyone knows some of Bob’s music, he’s so loved, but do we actually know anything about him and the struggles that he went through? And then specifically the struggles he went through at this specific period of time.
And so it really opened up and it became a community effort. I was so fortunate not just to have the family there, but I got to spend time with Bob’s childhood friends, guys who knew Bob when he was 13, 14 in Trench Town. I spent hours with them walking up and down Orange Street and through Trench Town showing me where they hung out, showing me everything.
The process was about trying to learn and understand as much as I could about Bob’s experience as a child all the way through. In that way you can start tapping into his psychology and thinking about what he went through. It was a joy to get to know him, and I felt like I never spent that much time with anyone. And listening to him for two years? I’m still listening. I’ve had Bob on this morning.
This isn’t just Bob’s story, this is Bob and Rita’s love story as well. Lashana Lynch is brilliant as Rita Marley, and Rita is really Bob’s guiding light. Can you talk about working with her in this film?
Kingsley Ben-Adir: She’s a light. Me and Lashana met seven months before the movie started. So we had our own process of getting to know each other, and we’d speak about Bob and Rita in the project every other day with text, with email. And so by the time we got to set, we’d already formed our own bond, which meant that we could jump straight in and be ahead. And it was really about trying to find [ourselves] as actors. We spoke a lot about unconditional love and how that’s expressed without words and how moments where there’s no talking can be the most powerful. So we got into all of that. And she really, there were days where Lashana really saved me from myself.
That’s incredible. I just felt so much hope after watching this movie, and I felt a connection with Bob. You just disappear in the role, man.
Kingsley Ben-Adir: Thank you. I think that’s what Bob would’ve wanted from the film, if anything. So it’s nice to hear.
About Bob Marley: One Love
Bob Marley: One Love celebrates the life and music of an icon who inspired generations through his message of love and unity. On the big screen for the first time, discover Bob’s powerful story of overcoming adversity and the journey behind his revolutionary music.
Check back soon for our other Bob Marley: One Love interviews:
- Lashana Lynch
- James Norton
- Reinaldo Marcus Green
- Cast & Crew on Red Carpet
Source: Screen Rant Plus
Bob Marley: One Love
Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green, Bob Marley: One Love is a biographical music-drama that explores the life of Bob Marley, as portrayed by Kingsley Ben-Adir. The film highlights the ups and downs of Marley’s life and career until his untimely death in 1981.
- Release Date
- February 14, 2024
- Director
- Reinaldo Marcus Green
- Cast
- Kingsley Ben-Adir
- Writers
- Zach Baylin , Frank E. Flowers , Terence Winter
- Studio(s)
- Tuff Gong
- Distributor(s)
- Paramount Pictures
