When the late rapper Notorious B.I.G. was alive, his career and personal life was a swirl of media attention and controversy.
Now, over ten years after his tragic assassination, the drama continues.
This time it's headed to the big screen--again--but not as a documentary. The life and death of Christopher Wallace (aka Biggie) will be portrayed in a movie entitled "Notorious" by Fox Searchlight.
Diddy is set to executive produce the film. Wallace's mother, Voletta Wallace, and his two former managers, Wayne Barrow and Mark Pitts, are producing the movie. The film will be directed by George Tillman Jr. (he directed "Soul Food" and "Men of Honor") Nothing surprising there.
But here's the twist: The role of Notorious B.I.G. will be filled through an open casting call.
This means that the producers will seek its star by auditioning actors and non-actors alike who resemble the rapper. Thus anyone, repeat, ANYONE, can submit audition videos to
Why are they doing this? The producer said, "In the typical Hollywood world, no one came to mind outside of Forest Whitaker who could capture that essence genuinely."
But the film's producers never approached Whitaker because - though he would have been ideal - at 46 years old, Whitaker is more than twice the age Wallace will be for much of the film. Wallace was gunned down at the age of 24 on March 9, 1997, after a music-industry party in Los Angeles.
"We thought it would be best to open it up to the world and . . . give somebody the opportunity to step into his shoes and fulfill their own."
Big boys seeking to play Biggie could line sidewalks for miles. Now THAT'S a cattle call!