SEVERAL JAMAICANS TO STAR IN FILM WITH OSCAR AWARD WINNER LUPITA NYONG’O!

By Shereita Grizzle—

Jamaicans have been selected to star in three films from Los Angeles-based ALI Pictures. The company is in the process of finalising a deal which would see the Oscar winner and in-demand actress Lupita Nyong’o starring in all three films.

Nyong’o has already landed the lead role in the film Who Shot The Sheriff?

The deal would involve Who Shot The Sheriff?, Rude Buay … The Unstoppable and Rude Buay … The Untouchable.

If Nyong’o is to be part of all three films, she will partner with British actor and Golden Globe winner Idris Elba in two.

Elba will play a Jamaican Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) operative Randy Bascombe, popularly known as Rude Buay in Rude Buay … The Unstoppable and Rude Buay … The Untouchable.

Also expected to star in the film is multi-nominated Golden Globe actress, Scarlett Johannson, who will play the role of Miami DEA agent Heidi Hudson.

Nyong’o would play the role of a sophisticated Jamaican, Mildred Simms, another DEA agent.

Meanwhile, singer and actress Ashanti, is being looked at to play the role of the antagonistic ‘Boss Woman’ Denise Gomez. Ashanti will also play a prosecuting attorney in Who Shot The Sheriff?

Kymani Marley

Other members of the growing cast include: singer Ne-Yo, Jamaica’s Ky-Mani Marley, Beres Hammond, Maxi Priest and Sean Paul.

It is expected that the cast will continue to grow and could include Ugly Betty‘s Vanessa Williams, Blair Underwood and music legends Stevie Wonder, Lauryn Hill and Jamaican reggae veteran, Jimmy Cliff.

Production for the first in the three-part movie special is scheduled to begin in Jamaica later this year.

Jimmy Cliff

PLANS ON TRACK

John Andrews, CEO of ALI Pictures said “Plans are on track for the film adaptation of Who Shot The Sheriff? and production is scheduled to start in Jamaica this year.”

He also revealed that production for the other two films would start in 2015 but the island would have to share shoot locations with another Caribbean island.

According to Andrews, “Our objective is to save our investors some money, while delivering films sauteed with brilliant acting”.

Vanessa Williams

The Rude Buay films are based on stories from the creative mind of St Lucian native, Author John A. Andrews.

The storyline chronicles life inside the drug world which thrives off “corruption, deception and inequities of all kinds.”

shereita.grizzle@gleanerjm.com