Ice Cube’s Son will play Ice Cube in ‘Straight Outta Compton’.
Straight Outta Compton, The NWA biopic, has been in development for several years. But, recently production really ramped up. There were several open casting calls in Los Angeles, Chicago, and in New York.
Now according to TheWrap, O’Shea Jackson aka, Ice Cube JR, will play his father in the film, which is currently set up at Universal with F. Gary Gray, the director of The Italian Job, directing. Ice Cube’s son probably landed the role because, his dad is producing the feature film.
Gray (“The Italian Job”) is directing from a script by Jonathan Herman, which Ice Cube has previously described as a comprehensive “dramatic story that encompasses hip-hop, dope-dealing, Reaganomics, AIDS, LAPD, rap feuds, FBI, PMRC, the Parental Advisory stickers on the records… all of it.”
Ice Cube revealed in February that he was pushing for his son to play him in “Compton,” telling The Guardian ”I’ve been trying to get that pushed along. Just wanna make sure that he’s the best man for the job.”
Eazy-E’s son has also been lobbying for a role but TheWrap hears that an unknown actor is poised to win the part, and that Universal could announce the main cast before the end of the week. It would mark the end of a long search, as casting director Cindy Tolan held an open casting call in Gardena, Calif. in March seeking appropriately-aged African-American males, with no experience necessary.
N.W.A. is the group that gave rise to greats such as Easy- E, Dr. Dre, and Ice Cube. Now, the film directors are looking for aspiring actors who can effectively act and portray these rap icons when they were part of N.W.A.
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