Afeni Shakur & Suge Knight Roles Cast In Tupac Biopic. Here Are Photos.
The principle characters in Tupac Shakur’s life are being cast for upcoming biopic, All Eyez On Me. Tupac will be played by Demetrius Shipp, Jr., while the part of The Notorious B.I.G. was given to Notorious alum and former rapper Jamal “Gravy” Woolard.
Now, two additional figures closest to Shakur have been cast in the film produced by former Hip-Hop musician and executive L.T. Hutton. The role of Tupac’s mother, Afeni Shakur, has been given to actress Danai Gurira. TV Heads may know her from AMC’s The Walking Dead, and film The Visitor.
Below is a photo of Gurira from the set of The Walking Dead:
Tupac’s manager and employer at the time of his 1996 murder was Marion “Suge” Knight. The onetime co-founder of Death Row Records, and the man who was with ‘Pac during his fatal drive-by shooting will be played by Dominic Santana. The actor, who is 6’5″, is a native of Wilmington, North Carolina.
Related: Daz Dillinger Is Really Serious About A Death Row Biopic…So Much So, He’s Cast It (Photos)
Both Afeni and Suge were prominent muses in Tupac’s music. The 1995 hit “Dear Mama” was a dedication to the onetime Black Panther. Another song, “Never Had A Friend Like Me,” which appeared on the Gridlock’d soundtrack, is often believed to be a dedication to Knight, who ‘Pac frequently referred to by Biblical reference “Simon.”
Below is a photo from the film set of Shipp and Santana (as Tupac and Knight) flanked by two real-life members of Tha Outlawz: E.D.I. and Young Noble:
Currently, Afeni Shakur directs the Tupac Amaru Shakur Center For The Arts and manages her son’s estate. Suge Knight is incarcerated, awaiting trial for multiple offenses, including the murder of music executive Terry Carter. The incident, stemming from an altercation near the set of Straight Outta Compton, took place one year ago this month.
Related: The Role Of Biggie Is Cast In The Tupac Biopic. And You’ve Seen Him Before…