From the Dept. of Terrible Ideas.

Please God, no.

Cameron Crowe could be set to make his first film in five years, a biopic on soul legend Marvin Gaye. The Jerry Maguire and Almost Famous director has had a Marvin Gaye project in development for over three years, but it finally looks set to happen, according to a report in Deadline, with Terrence Howard lined up to play the part.

This casting choice only makes sense if they’re reimagining Marvin as a whiny, lachrymose bleater.

G.D.

G.D.

Gene "G.D." Demby is the founder and editor of PostBourgie. In his day job, he blogs and reports on race and ethnicity for NPR's Code Switch team.
G.D.

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  • Val

    I actually think Usher would be good for this role. I’m not sure if he has the acting chops but he sort of looks like Marvin and he can sing.

    Letting Mr. Babywipes play Marvin is a very bad idea.

  • DVE

    Years ago there was a comedian on comic view who has a routine wherein before sampling or covering a song had to call and get permission from a bureau, and the bureau would only authorize you to cover or borow from artists based on your level of talent. There were several punchlines, but one of them was that if you called and requested permission to cover or sample Marvin Gaye, you’d get automatically hung up on. Someone needs to find that clip and send it to Terrence Howard right about now.

  • I am looking forward to the much talked about movie, but Howard, umm no. I just do not know what they are thinking. I am trying but I just can’t see it.

    Peace, Love and Chocolate
    Tiffany

  • thewayoftheid

    Wait, wait…what happened to the Marvin Gaye biopic that was to star Jesse L. Martin? Love Cameron Crowe but this casting choice is just so…wrong.

    • Jesse L. Martin would be amazing for this.

    • I’ve never really understood the love people foist upon Cameron Crowe. I find his movies and his characters’ motivations sort of impenetrable.

      but anyway, to you and Mike’s statements re: Jesse L. Martin, that link says this it might actually be in the works. I think I’d like to see that, though I really wish black actors and actresses could to stop playing real-life figures to headline big projects. I’m not sure what it means, but biopics are a really boring genre.

      • What about Leon?

        Ok, sorry.

        But I was thinking the same thing, G.D. I mean, don’t get me wrong: I’d love to see the story of Marvin Gaye on the big screen.

        But there has to be better variation of good acting roles for black actors and actresses. And eventually, we’re going to run out of interesting historical figures and celebrities anyway.

        Who’s next? Chuck D?

        • Right. (and you know the Obama biopic is coming. Just wait. It’ll be out by 2025, starring Jaden Smith or some shit.)

          • Scipio Africanus

            You’re half joking but I fully expect that. Wouldn’t be surprised if Jada isn’t already talking that up in the Smith household.

  • I wonder if John Legend was ever considered.

  • keke

    Seriously, Terrence Howard as Marvin Gaye? You have got to be kidding me. Terrence Howard is so annoying!

    What’s next, Mary J. Blige cast as Nina Simone?….Oh wait

    http://popwatch.ew.com/2010/05/13/mary-j-blige-nina-simone/

    • Oh, Jesus Christ on a pony.

      wtf?

    • slb

      even though i really, REALLY don’t like her, everybody knows if you’re gonna get a recording artist to play nina simone, it should be india dot arie.

      and if you’re gonna get a real actress to do it, it should be n’bushe wright.

      • i feel like we’re the only people who are not beguiled by India-dot’s modest charms.

        (i saw a tweet the other day in which someone said they would name their daughters Erykah, India and Jill. I unfollowed that person.)

        But yeah, she def looks like her. Although, they don’t sound anything alike.

        • slb

          Oh, I assumed the person lip-synching was a given. Like, who sounds like Nina Simone? Seriously. Maaaaybe Cassandra Wilson. Maybe.

      • keke

        yes N’Bushe Wright!! She is such a great actress and she is absolutely gorgeous!

        I would prefer an actress rather than a recording artist. The movie studio can use Nina’s voice, a great actress will be able to carry the movie.

        as for India–I am not a huge fan either. I actually felt like something was wrong with me in college cause all my friends were raving about her. I mean, she is talented and she has some nice songs here and there, but i could never listen to an entire album. I remember actually leaving a few of my friends’ dorm rooms in college cause they wanted to listen to India All. Damn. Day. I wanted to shoot myself when that freaking I Am Ready For Love song would come on.

        • Scipio Africanus

          Lol, I Am Ready For Love is easily her only high level, should-be-remembered-for-years-to-come song, imo. I actually enjoy a bunch of her songs, but I can be objective enough to acknowledge that her talent is not particularly high.

          Side rant: the thing about her is that you can tell she’s always aspiring to greatness, like Stevie, Marvin, Nina level greatness. But she’s so painfully average, as far as an artist with a an actual record contract goes, that it leaves a ridiculous taste of disappointment. And she should stop rocking that guitar like she effing Ritchie Valens. I’ve never heard her come cloe to being able to do anything your run-of-the-mill casual fan of the guitar can typically do after maybe 3 or 4 years of playing.

          Side-side rant: I really regret teh obvious poor self image she seems to have spent years grappling with. She’s real cute (when she does herself up the right way).

          • And she should stop rocking that guitar like she effing Ritchie Valens. I’ve never heard her come cloe to being able to do anything your run-of-the-mill casual fan of the guitar can typically do after maybe 3 or 4 years of playing.

            this. i always thought the whole “acoustic soul” bit was so blatantly cynical and image-conscious that people would see through it. she’s a really mediocre guitar player, but her guitar-playing is cast as authenticity, as a sign of her supposed musicianship.

            And you’re right again on the “greatness” bit. the thing that annoys me most about her is how unsubtle both her songwriting is — “Strength Courage and Wisdom” is the type of sledgehammer, inch-deep Hallmark-card “positivity” that made so much of the neo-soul movement unlistenable — and how she clearly sees herself as an heir to the great soul pantheon.

            • Scipio Africanus

              The thing that infuriates me is that she’s got that guy in her band who plays the guitar at the level you’d demand/expect of a professional guitar player. I have to assume she’s not taking lessons from him, because I’m not seeing any new or interesting ideas from her – the types of ideas you start to come up with when you’ve studied the intrument more and practiced alot (I play too, so I’m speaking from my own experience.) It makes me start to wonder if she has opened herself up to listening to lots and lots of guitar styles from various genres. Does she read teh guitar magazines that come out every month? Those have great tips and ideas. You don’t have to be Django Reinhardt or Curtis Mayfield to get better than what she is. I damn near want to put her on to stuff myself.

              • keke

                you know, in all honesty i have never given much thought to her lack of guitar skills. but now that you brought it to my attention i am even more irritated with her.

                there really is no reason as to why she has not progressed as a guitar player. well other than the fact that she uses her guitar as a prop to prove that she is better than all of the half-naked, booty shaking female pop artists saturating the music industry right now.

                • A few years ago, she was on Carson Daly’s show sort of defensively deriding the idea that she would practice other people’s music. “I’m not interested in other people’s stuff. I only play my own.” or something to that effect. She then proceeded to play a very boring acoustic version of “Knocks Me Off My Feet” that just repeated the same little loop for 4 minutes.

                  Then there were all the stories of her walking off stages during shows in a hissy fit…yeah. I’m not a fan.

                  She can get away with all that fake, diva shit because she rocks a headwrap and not a midriff like Beyonce. It’s as cynical and deliberate an image you’d see anywhere else, but it’s dressed up as boho soulfulness.

                  • keke

                    are you serious? I didn’t know she was such a freaking diva!

                    and i am not the biggest beyonce fan but i have never heard of her pulling that type of nonsense. i really don’t appreciate the pass that india gets as a “real musician” because she is fully clothed and uses words like “hope” “strength” and “peace”.

                    that is similar to the issue i have with spoken word artists. I mean there are some talented spoken word artist out there but a lot of them get a pass because they use all the right words…and they are “so deep”. but that is another topic all together.

                    I don’t want to derail this post any more than i already have. sorry yall!

  • What about a Milli Vanilli-esque tag-team on the Nina? Have India.Arie play her and Cee-Lo do the singing bits.

    All jokes aside, Fantasia might be able to pull it off.