(AllHipHop News) Kat Graham is anxious for Jada Pinkett Smith to approve of her performance in the Tupac Shakur biopic.
The “Vampire Diaries” star portrays a younger version of Jada in the upcoming film titled “All Eyez on Me,” which chronicles the life and legacy of the rapper, as well as his imprisonment and time at Death Row Records, before he was killed in 1996.
Actress Jada was a close friend of Tupac after they met in high school at the Baltimore School for the Arts, and Kat has admitted she’s feeling apprehensive about playing a woman she considers an inspiration.
“(I wasn’t worried) until today when people are like, ‘Aren’t you nervous?'” she joked to Entertainment Tonight at the 2017 MTV Movie & TV Awards. “People are like, ‘Jada’s gonna see this movie,’ and I was like, ‘Ugh, I hadn’t thought about that.'”
Kat, who said “Gotham” star Jada continues to support her in the part, added she is very grateful for being given the opportunity to take on the role.
And the 27-year-old is also excited to be taking on a project which is relevant to the current political and social climate in the U.S.
“We’re at a time right now where African-Americans – a lot of people, not just African-Americans, a lot of people, especially in America – don’t feel like they’re getting heard,” she said. “Tupac was somebody that was in your face, he challenged the system, and that’s what made him so prolific.”
“All Eyez on Me” is directed by Benny Boom and is named after Tupac’s 1996 fourth and last studio album.
The project stars Demetrius Shipp, Jr. In the role of Tupac, as well as Lauren Cohan, Hill Harper and Danai Gurira in central roles, and is slated for release on June 16.