(AllHipHop News) The upcoming N.W.A biopic Straight Outta Compton is still in its early stages, but the film’s creators have begun searching for actors to play the roles of the members of the iconic West Coast group.
[ALSO READ: Ice Cube’s “Straight Outta Compton” To Start Casting]
KCRW was on hand at the recent casting call in Los Angeles and spoke with the movie’s director F. Gary Gray. The music video director and filmmaker (Friday, Set It Off, The Italian Job) talked about what he is looking for when determining who will play Eazy-E, Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, DJ Yella, and MC Ren.
“Well it’s just a certain thing that a person from the hood has. There are times where a thespian can get there and give it to you, sometimes they can’t, and street credibility it’s just that thing,” said Gary. “When you watch American Idol and they have that it factor – there’s a hood factor. You get the authenticity when you’re in an environment likes this, and you have an open call, and I’ve been seeing that, and I’m pretty happy with it.”
Gary also discussed N.W.A’s place in the history of pop culture. According to the 44-year-old New York native the crew helped push American entertainment in a new direction.
“It’s not unlike Social Network or American Graffiti where you take a place and time in America, especially as it relates to popular culture, and you the see the shift, and they were right there and created part of the pivot that America took in entertainment,” added Gary. “We went from Madonna, Michael Jackson, and Prince to Hip Hop, and this is the time that marks that shift and that era.”
[ALSO READ: DJ Yella Talks N.W.A Breakup, Biopic & Eazy-E’s Death]
Listen to the KRCW report about F. Gary Gray’s Straight Outta Compton below.