Is Kingsley Ben-Adir really singing in 'Bob Marley: One Love'? The actor plays the reggae icon in the new biopic

Olivia Singh
·2 min read
Kingsley Ben-Adir as Bob Marley on the set of "Bob Marley: One Love."
Kingsley Ben-Adir as Bob Marley on the set of "Bob Marley: One Love."Chiabella James/Paramount Pictures
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  • Kingsley Ben-Adir stars as Bob Marley in the new biopic, "Bob Marley: One Love."

  • The actor spent months learning how to sing and play the guitar.

  • In the film's performance scenes, Ben-Adir and Marley's vocals are mixed together.

Kingsley Ben-Adir is the latest actor to transform into a music legend for a biopic, and yes, he is singing for real in "Bob Marley: One Love."

"Bob Marley: One Love," directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green, zeroes in on pivotal events that occurred in Bob Marley's life between 1976 and 1978: a failed assassination attempt at Marley's home, his Smile Jamaica concert two days later, the creation of his "Exodus" album while self-exiled in the UK, and his return to his home country for the One Love Peace Concert.

Per the movie's production notes, Ben-Adir spent months preparing for this role, working with guitar coach Ben Martinez, movement coach Polly Bennett, dialect coach Louise Jones, and Jamaican language coach Fae A. Ellington.

Kingsley Ben-Adir as Bob Marley in "Bob Marley: One Love."
Kingsley Ben-Adir as Bob Marley in "Bob Marley: One Love."Chiabella James/Paramount Pictures

Because the project was backed by Marley's estate, with a few members of the family also serving as producers, his music was allowed to be played in the film.

Marley's music is woven into "Bob Marley: One Love" in a couple of ways.

The reggae superstar's tracks serve as needle drops for specific moments. But when Ben-Adir performs onstage as Marley, the voice that audiences hear is actually a blend of both of their voices, Variety reported.

According to Rolling Stone, it's mostly Marley's vocals that come through in those performance scenes.

Kingsley Ben-Adir as Bob Marley in "Bob Marley: One Love."
Kingsley Ben-Adir as Bob Marley in "Bob Marley: One Love."Chiabella James/Paramount Pictures

"You do not want my concert singing in this film," Ben-Adir told Rolling Stone. "I mean, I butchered a lot of people's ears for hours and hours."

Ben-Adir's singing lessons weren't for nothing, though.

His vocals can be heard in scenes when his character is singing and playing the acoustic guitar by himself and when he's jamming with his bandmates while working on the "Exodus" album.

"Bob Marley: One Love" is in theaters now.

Read the original article on Business Insider