Kingston, Jamaica – Reggae and British royalty mingled on the Red carpet at the January 23 premiere of Bob Marley: One Love here at the Carib cinema.
Ziggy Marley, eldest son of the reggae king, Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle, were among the A-listers at the event. Kingsley Ben-Adir, who plays Marley in the Paramount Pictures movie, Jamaica’s prime minister Andrew Holness, his wife Juliet, as well as Olympic and World Championships gold medalist Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce, also attended.
Marley, who rose to international fame during the 1970s with songs like No Woman, No Cry, Rastaman Vibration and One Love, died in May, 1981 at age 36.
First Time Actors
The movie has several first-time actors playing members of his inner circle. Most noted is Aston Barrett Jr., son of Aston “Familyman” Barrett, bass guitarist for The Wailers band, who has the role of his father.
He flew in from South Florida for the premiere which he described as “fabulous”. He was even more impressed with the movie.
“It’s great, I think people are going to love it,” he said.
Aston Barrett Jr. and Ziggy Marley
Singer Alexx A-Gameplays Peter Tosh, an original member of The Wailers who was murdered at his Kingston home in September, 1987 at age 42.
Like Barrett Jr., he had no acting experience going into the project. It was also his first red carpet experience.
Alexx A-Game
“It was really good, you could feel di love. Di moment I entered di venue I felt di love. Di people showed appreciation an’ embraced me…One Love, that’s what it’s all about,” said Alexx A-Game.
Paramount Pictures employed an acting coach for the debutants who included Naomi Cowan, who plays Marcia Griffiths, a member of The I Three, Marley’s harmony group.
Directed by American Reinaldo Marcus-Green, Bob Marley: One Love officially opens worldwide on February 14. It is based on Marley’s life from December, 1976 when he left Jamaica after being shot by gunmen at his Kingston home where he had been rehearsing for the Smile Jamaica peace concert.
His self-imposed exile in England where he lived and recorded music throughout 1977, is also covered. As well as his return to Jamaica in early 1978 for the One Love Peace Concert in Kingston.
