By: Renae Richardson
Many artists are gifted with the opportunity to share their talents on the world stage. Far fewer can say they have had the chance to step into the shoes of a legendary performer and bring them back to life. It is a distinct honor and one to be undertaken with great care, as you become a torchbearer for that person’s enduring legacy. John Legend is now preparing for exactly that opportunity, to wear the shoes of Harry Belafonte.
A Voice Ready for the Role
John Legend. Image Source: ID PR (Courtesy Entertainment Weekly)
Those who know a great deal about music know John Legend well. He stands among the modern crooners, his sound unique and rare in this day and age. His vocal signature is undeniable. Over the years, Legend has graced some of the most revered stages, and he is well loved for songs such as “All of Me,” “Ordinary People,” and “Glory.” But becoming someone else entirely is a different kind of experience.
Per Blexmedia,
“John Legend is joining the cast of The Road Home, Bill Condon’s apartheid-era drama currently filming in South Africa. The EGOT-winning musician will play Harry Belafonte, the legendary entertainer, singer and civil rights activist who was central to the real-life events at the heart of the film.”
Legend is no stranger to film, having appeared in several over the years, but in those moments he was simply performing as himself. This time, things will be different. The film he has attached himself to is not solely about the music. It is an anti-apartheid-era drama set in Africa, one that explores a specific historical event involving musicians Paul Simon, Hugh Masekela, Miriam “Mother Africa” Makeba, and Harry Belafonte himself.
The History Behind the Film
Harry Belafonte. Image Source: AFP/Getty Images
Belafonte was deeply woven into the very events the film explores. Per Blexmedia,
“He helped fund a young Masekela’s music studies in exile, launched Makeba’s international career, and shared a Grammy with her for their 1966 collaboration. When Simon sought counsel before traveling to South Africa, it was Belafonte who famously urged him to first seek the anti-apartheid movement’s blessing, advice Simon did not take.”
Standing on His Shoulders: John Legend’s Most Personal Role Yet
John Legend and Harry Belafonte. Image Source: Courtesy/Getty Images
Legend has spoken openly about the privilege of taking on this role and the tremendous respect he holds for the late artist. His is not the kind of respect that comes from admiring someone’s work from a distance. Legend speaks of a far more connected experience. He shares,
“I was honored to know Mr. Belafonte as my friend, mentor, and collaborator in the struggle for justice. He was an incredible human being who lived a monumental, revolutionary life. He was the epitome of an artist and activist who set a standard for me and so many others who stood on his shoulders. I count it a privilege to be entrusted with the role of Harry Belafonte in this special film.”
That is always a plus, knowing that someone taking on the mantle carries genuine respect and holds the character in such high esteem that it will push him toward his very best performance in upholding the integrity of that individual.
What to Expect
Reportedly, Legend is now in South Africa, where the film is under production. The Road Home is directed by Bill Condon, and the foundation of the story is just as thoughtfully built as its casting. Per The Production List,
Michael Bronner wrote the screenplay from a story he developed with South African novelist Zakes Mda, drawing on extensive research including interviews with Paul Simon and the Hugh Masekela Heritage Foundation.
Seeing Legend in such a role is certainly something special. Watching him fully dive into acting raises many questions, and rightfully so. Beyond that, the importance of the work itself, and what it meant during that period, makes it a film worth watching. It is a story that has never been told on the big screen, and it arrives as exactly what so many voices have been calling for: new material and something never covered before.
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