John Legend will play famed actor and civil rights activist Harry Belafonte in Studiocanal’s music drama “The Road Home,” which is currently filming in South Africa with a cast that includes Thabo Rametsi, Cynthia Erivo, Guy Pearce and Johnny Flynn.
Directed by Bill Condon and written by Michael Bronner, the film stars Rametsi as legendary South African jazz trumpeter Hugh Masekela, who was an active part of the anti-apartheid movement in the country in the 1980s and was exiled from the country for his actions against the apartheid government.
But his philosophy on how to advocate for the movement puts him at odds with his mentor, Archbishop Trevor Huddleston (Pearce), after Masekela’s close friend Paul Simon (Flynn) is accused of breaking the United Nations’ cultural boycott against the apartheid nation by including African musicians and musical styles on his acclaimed album “Graceland.”
Believing that African music can be used to bring global attention to the anti-apartheid movement, Masekela collaborated with Simon and fellow South African musician and activist Miriam “Mama Africa” Makeba to form the Graceland Band, touring in support of the album across the world, including in Africa.
“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 stand on his shoulders. I count it a privilege to be entrusted with the role of Harry Belafonte in this special film.” said Legend.
Producers on the film are Bronner, Laura Bickford, Greg Yolen and Anant Singh, in association with Blue Ice’s producers Tebogo Malia and Adam Freidlander and with executive producers Fiona Druckenmiller and Thabo Rametsi.
Studiocanal is financing the film with Flora Films and Rob Bath, with CEO Anna Marsh, Global Production EVP and Canal+ Chief Creative Officer Ron Halpern, and US Chief Creative Officer Shana Eddy-Group serving as executive producers. Sudie Smyth is leading Physical Production with Sam Shipp as a creative executive on the film.
Studiocanal will distribute in South Africa, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Benelux, Poland, Australia and New Zealand. U.S.-based Palisades Park Pictures, backed by Ashland Hill Media Finance, and helmed by CEO Tamara Birkemoe, is handling all other international sales.
Legend became the first Black male artist to become an EGOT winner in 2018 when he received an Emmy as a producer on NBC’s live production of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” which he also starred in. Legend has also won 13 Grammys as well as a Tony as co-producer of the 2017 revival of August Wilson’s “Jitney” and an Oscar for Best Original Song for “Glory” for the 2014 Martin Luther King Jr. biopic “Selma.”
He is repped by Roc Nation, UTA and ID.