[img:$uid]http://24.media.tumblr.com/15835532c70acb83b5d9806c0e7536c7/tumblr_mlvgq8pIvI1qheo83o1_500.jpg[/img:$uid]

First look at Jesse L. Martin as Marvin Gaye in the upcoming biopic film. Photo courtesy of Andreas Wiseman.

Gaye biopic heads to Cannes

26 April, 2013 | By Jeremy Kay

Focus Features International has boarded Julien Temple’s Untitled Marvin Gaye project currently shooting in Luxemburg and Belgium. Screendaily first reported on the film in February.

Jesse L Martin will star as the soul singer alongside Brendan Gleeson in the role of promoter Freddy Cousaert, Vicky Krieps as his girlfriend Eugenie and Beasts Of The Southern Wild breakout Dwight Henry as Gaye’s father.

Matthew Broughton wrote the screenplay and Frederick Bestall of Auric Entertainment and Jimmy De Brabant of Delux Productions produce. Grammy Award-winning Vassal Benford will serve as executive producer with Peter Davy and will also compose the score.

“The film will celebrate the light that poured forth from Marvin Gaye and still illuminates our lives but won’t avoid the darkness that haunted him from within,” said Temple, Bestall and De Brabant in a statement.

The film focuses on the latter part of Gaye’s life when he recorded his most successful album Midnight Love in Belgium and was in the thick of a close yet tempestuous friendship with Cousaert. Gaye, who had long struggled with depression and drug abuse, died on Apr 1 1984 aged 44 after he was shot by his father.

“Marvin Gaye is an iconic idol with a bittersweet story spanning success, fame and the torments of addiction,” said Alison Thompson, co-president of Focus Features International. “With his long established track record in making movies about music and the great musicians who touch us all, Julien and his team are the ideal partners to bring the extraordinary life of Marvin Gaye to audiences around the world.”

----

According to Roger Friedman, Motown has joined in with Gaye's family in disapproval of the film.

Thanks for posting,he don't look anything like Marvin though. I guess as long as he plays him right that's all that matters

babybugz said:

Thanks for posting,he don't look anything like Marvin though. I guess as long as he plays him right that's all that matters

Looking at Marvin and looking at Jesse now, I agree!

I don't know, them shooting the film this quickly, I don't know how that bodes well for the film.

Timmy84 said:

babybugz said:

Thanks for posting,he don't look anything like Marvin though. I guess as long as he plays him right that's all that matters

Looking at Marvin and looking at Jesse now, I agree!

I don't know, them shooting the film this quickly, I don't know how that bodes well for the film.

I was looking at your avatar then looking at the picture of him..I see what they were trying to do but hmm. I hope the movie is good though.

babybugz said:

Timmy84 said:

Looking at Marvin and looking at Jesse now, I agree!

I don't know, them shooting the film this quickly, I don't know how that bodes well for the film.

I was looking at your avatar then looking at the picture of him..I see what they were trying to do but hmm. I hope the movie is good though.

For years I always was like "he should play Marvin" but when you see him doing that and then you look at Marvin, you shake your head. Jesse not only DOESN'T look like him but he looks OLDER compared to Marvin! Marvin was a young-looking man with a beard! I'm glad they're only focusing on the '80s because he would've looked real odd playing 30, 31-year-old Marvin in that getup. I don't know, something tells me this film is not gonna be good.

[img:$uid]http://24.media.tumblr.com/15835532c70acb83b5d9806c0e7536c7/tumblr_mlvgq8pIvI1qheo83o1_500.jpg[/img:$uid][img:$uid]http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/p480x480/551125_10151158138635783_397780485_n.jpg[/img:$uid]

As the Great One would say, "ain't nothing like the real thing baby!" RIP Marvin...

SuperSoulFighter said:

I remember Jesse from Law & Order. I think he actually does look like Marvin. But if there's one thing I hate, it's bio-pics! I don't even like the word! You want to know about Marvin/Lincoln/Napoleon/Van Gogh, read a book! I really can't stand an actor playing the role of one of my favorite musicians. I didn't want to see Ray either. I'm soooo glad nobody ever made a movie about James Brown or Jimi Hendrix. Funny thing, I'm Not There is a film where Bob Dylan is played by 6 different actors. Who was the best? Kate Winslet! [Edited 4/27/13 16:18pm]

Isn't Andre 3000 playing him?

I dread the films of Hendrix and JB even more than Marvin. Least with Marvin, it's got some great music from his albeit too brief Columbia period... Hendrix's seems too doomed to film and who knows how they're gonna do James' film. Ugh...

Timmy84 said:

[img:$uid]http://24.media.tumblr.com/15835532c70acb83b5d9806c0e7536c7/tumblr_mlvgq8pIvI1qheo83o1_500.jpg[/img:$uid][img:$uid]http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/p480x480/551125_10151158138635783_397780485_n.jpg[/img:$uid]

As the Great One would say, "ain't nothing like the real thing baby!" RIP Marvin...

Marvin was way cuter

babybugz said:

Timmy84 said:

[img:$uid]http://24.media.tumblr.com/15835532c70acb83b5d9806c0e7536c7/tumblr_mlvgq8pIvI1qheo83o1_500.jpg[/img:$uid][img:$uid]http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/p480x480/551125_10151158138635783_397780485_n.jpg[/img:$uid]

As the Great One would say, "ain't nothing like the real thing baby!" RIP Marvin...

Marvin was way cuter

Haha I don't think no one will argue with that.

Timmy84 said:

babybugz said:

Marvin was way cuter

Haha I don't think no one will argue with that.

This film can not be as bad as the film with Flex playing Michael, that was a joke.

babybugz said:

Timmy84 said:

Haha I don't think no one will argue with that.

This film can not be as bad as the film with Flex playing Michael, that was a joke.

That's what I dread... I'm glad that film has been forgotten about though. I still shake my head at the NAACP for even acknowledging it like it was a damn good film. Then again they always give awards to Tyler Perry-associated shows and films so...

Timmy84 said:

babybugz said:

This film can not be as bad as the film with Flex playing Michael, that was a joke.

That's what I dread... I'm glad that film has been forgotten about though. I still shake my head at the NAACP for even acknowledging it like it was a damn good film. Then again they always give awards to Tyler Perry-associated shows and films so...

I think TvOne plays its sometimes or centric .. one of them It was terrible though.

babybugz said:

Timmy84 said:

That's what I dread... I'm glad that film has been forgotten about though. I still shake my head at the NAACP for even acknowledging it like it was a damn good film. Then again they always give awards to Tyler Perry-associated shows and films so...

I think TvOne plays its sometimes or centric .. one of them It was terrible though.

TVOne probably. I watched it ONE TIME and one time was all I needed for that piece of garbage.

Timmy84 said:

babybugz said:

I think TvOne plays its sometimes or centric .. one of them It was terrible though.

TVOne probably. I watched it ONE TIME and one time was all I needed for that piece of garbage.

I always laugh at the parts with him and the bootleggged lisa marie . Flex must have gotten blacklisted after that film.. good.

babybugz said:

Timmy84 said:

TVOne probably. I watched it ONE TIME and one time was all I needed for that piece of garbage.

I always laugh at the parts with him and the bootleggged lisa marie . Flex must have gotten blacklisted after that film.. good.

I believe it.

well,he's a better choice than Lenny Kravitz

babybugz said:

SuperSoulFighter said:

I remember Jesse from Law & Order. I think he actually does look like Marvin. But if there's one thing I hate, it's bio-pics! I don't even like the word! You want to know about Marvin/Lincoln/Napoleon/Van Gogh, read a book! I really can't stand an actor playing the role of one of my favorite musicians. I didn't want to see Ray either. I'm soooo glad nobody ever made a movie about James Brown or Jimi Hendrix. Funny thing, I'm Not There is a film where Bob Dylan is played by 6 different actors. Who was the best? Kate Winslet! [Edited 4/27/13 16:18pm]

Isn't Andre 3000 playing him?

They don't even have any rights to Hendrix's music for that film

SoulAlive said:

well,he's a better choice than Lenny Kravitz

Yes. I still can't understand how Lenny was attached to this at some point playing Marvin Gaye. Way off base.

Timmy84 said:

babybugz said:

I was looking at your avatar then looking at the picture of him..I see what they were trying to do but hmm. I hope the movie is good though.

For years I always was like "he should play Marvin" but when you see him doing that and then you look at Marvin, you shake your head. Jesse not only DOESN'T look like him but he looks OLDER compared to Marvin! Marvin was a young-looking man with a beard! I'm glad they're only focusing on the '80s because he would've looked real odd playing 30, 31-year-old Marvin in that getup. I don't know, something tells me this film is not gonna be good.

Hollywood never respected the geniuses of Marvin Gaye. this film will tarnish his legacy based on the few screenings i attended.

jackson35 said:

Timmy84 said:

For years I always was like "he should play Marvin" but when you see him doing that and then you look at Marvin, you shake your head. Jesse not only DOESN'T look like him but he looks OLDER compared to Marvin! Marvin was a young-looking man with a beard! I'm glad they're only focusing on the '80s because he would've looked real odd playing 30, 31-year-old Marvin in that getup. I don't know, something tells me this film is not gonna be good.

Hollywood never respected the geniuses of Marvin Gaye. this film will tarnish his legacy based on the few screenings i attended.

So it's terrible huh?

It will probably be about drugs with a "don't do it" message and about sex without showing titties and of course full attention to the big shoot-out at the end.

SoulAlive said:

well,he's a better choice than Lenny Kravitz

Yep. I'll wait until it comes on cable.

SuperSoulFighter said:

It will probably be about drugs with a "don't do it" message and about sex without showing titties and of course full attention to the big shoot-out at the end.

Agree. I dont know why they always have to be so exploitive when it comes to these things. Why not try to represent past singers in a good light. I didnt mine Ray because Ray Charles was actually involved in the making of the movie.

Unfortunately most biopics lack faith and the courage to believe a person's life story can be told without embellishments. That's why I prefer documentaries because they do a better job of giving you a complete picture of someone, their strengths and their warts. I've haven't see a biopic that was straight up and that includes "Ray". Loretta Lynn biopic was such bullshit the woman had to come back again and tell the truth in a second autobiography.

Seriously this picture about Gaye is going to start in 1982? Damn, that's like up opening a book in the middle and reading to the end. In his case you are opening up the book a 4th of the way to the end... this sounds like some made for cable Lifetime bullshit.

=========================

[Edited 4/30/13 5:57am]

TD3 said:

Unfortunately most biopics lack faith and the courage to believe a person's life story can be told without embellishments. That's why I prefer documentaries because they do a better job of giving you a complete picture of someone, their strengths and their warts. I've haven't see a biopic that was straight up and that includes "Ray". Loretta Lynn biopic was such bullshit the woman had to come back again and tell the truth in a second autobiography.

Seriously this picture about Gaye is going to start in 1982? Damn, that's like up opening a book in the middle and reading to the end. In his case you opening up the book a 4th of the way to the end... this sounds like some made for cable Lifetime bullshit.

That's what I dread. I said on Facebook yesterday that I dreaded this film would be similar to Michael Jackson's post-1984 "biopic".

Timmy84 said:

TD3 said:

Unfortunately most biopics lack faith and the courage to believe a person's life story can be told without embellishments. That's why I prefer documentaries because they do a better job of giving you a complete picture of someone, their strengths and their warts. I've haven't see a biopic that was straight up and that includes "Ray". Loretta Lynn biopic was such bullshit the woman had to come back again and tell the truth in a second autobiography.

Seriously this picture about Gaye is going to start in 1982? Damn, that's like opening up a book in the middle and reading to the end. In his case you opening up the book a 4th of the way to the end... this sounds like some made for cable Lifetime bullshit.

That's what I dread. I said on Facebook yesterday that I dreaded this film would be similar to Michael Jackson's post-1984 "biopic".

Wasn't that a hot mess? I think MJ's biopic is the worst film every, that's saying some thing because most of them stink up the joint. MJ's film was so bad it was comical.

TD3 said:

Timmy84 said:

That's what I dread. I said on Facebook yesterday that I dreaded this film would be similar to Michael Jackson's post-1984 "biopic".

Wasn't that a hot mess? I think MJ's biopic is the worst film every, that's saying some thing because most of them stink up the joint. MJ's film was so bad it was comical.

Watched it one time and couldn't watch it anymore and didn't even watch halfway. I cut off at the beginning.

That MJ bio was dreadful. The worse film Ive ever seen.

I dunno if I would want to ever see another MJ bio movie in the future... its to much media spin, speculation, gossip and bs. I would have wanted it if he was involved.