Bob Marley's Widow Producing His Biopic

(FROM HOLLYWOOD REPORTER) – Rita Marley, widow of reggae legend Bob Marley, is executive producing the first-ever biopic about the Jamaican artist, and the Hollywood Reporter says that Marley wants her late husband's daughter-in-law, singer Lauryn Hill, to play her in the film. Hill is married to Rohan Marley, Bob's son with Janet Hunt. The Weinstein Company optioned rights to Marley's autobiography, No Woman No Cry: My Life With Bob Marley, which tells the story of Bob's childhood as well as Rita's 15-year marriage to him. Bob Marley died of cancer in 1981. The as-yet untitled biopic is scheduled to start production early next year for a late-2009 release. Rita Marley, who says she will be actively involved with shooting on the film, told the Reporter that her grandson Stefan is the ''splitting image'' of Bob and would be perfect to play him in the biopic. Producer Rudy Langlais says that the movie may not be star-driven and that casting decisions will be made later this year.

In February, it was announced that Martin Scorsese is directing a documentary on Bob Marley, set for release on Feb. 6, 2010, on what would have been the artist's 65th birthday. (Hollywood Reporter)