John Boyega is cast as the late singer-songwriter Otis Redding in an upcoming biopic, with Danielle Deadwyler set to play his wife Zelma Redding. Channing Godfrey Peoples is directing the film titled Otis and Zelma about one of America's most influential musicians ever. Redding’s burgeoning career in music came to a premature end after a plane crash accounted for his life in 1967 as he was only 26 years old. Godfrey Peoples directs from a screenplay by actor-screenwriter-playwright Donnetta Lavinia Grays with the director's revision.
According to a synopsis, Otis and Zelma "celebrates the 10 short years Otis and Zelma had together, and their eternal love story after his passing. Zelma’s resilience and determination to preserve his musical legacy for the last 56 years fuels her, just as much as Otis’ love for Zelma fueled him.”
The announcement of the project comes with Redding set to receive an honorary star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame this Friday.
Boyega is most popular for his role in the most recent Star Wars series and his Golden Globe winning performance in filmmaker Steve McQueen's series Small Axe. Deadwyler's most renowned titles include the film Till and the HBO show Station Eleven. Her upcoming projects also include The Piano Lesson, opposite John David Washington and Samuel L Jackson, and director Jaume Collet-Serra's Netflix thriller titled Carry On.