Snoop Dogg tapped rising actor Jonathan Daviss to portray him in his upcoming biopic, praising the Outer Banks star as the ideal choice during a red carpet moment at the BET Awards.
“Jonathan is the whole thing, man,” Snoop told Entertainment Tonight. “He’s a dynamic actor, he’s a great spirit, and he’s a learner. He’s able to take things and make it better.”
The untitled film, currently in development at Universal Pictures, will be directed by Craig Brewer, known for Hustle & Flow and Coming 2 America, per Deadline. The project marks the first feature under Death Row Pictures’ new deal with NBCUniversal.
Snoop is producing the film alongside Brian Grazer and Sara Ramaker, president of Death Row Pictures.
The biopic will trace Snoop’s life from his Long Beach beginnings through his rise in the West Coast Hip-Hop scene, his breakout with Death Row Records and Dr. Dre, and his transformation into a global figure across music, television and business.
Daviss, who gained recognition for his role as Pope Heyward on Netflix’s Outer Banks, said he’s focused on capturing the man behind the music.
“Playing a character like Dogg man, he’s an icon, you know,” Daviss said. “But I really want to get down to who he was as a person, like a loving person, and why people gravitate towards him.”
Snoop Dogg & Jonathan Daviss On Upcoming Biopic
Snoop said what sealed the deal for him was Daviss’ energy and how naturally he connected with those closest to him.
“To have him around me and see how he engulfs the spirit of and how my family gravitates to him,” Snoop said. “It’s just a beautiful thing to be able to find somebody that can actually do justice to you while you still here and able to see it.”
When asked how he’s handling the pressure of portraying a living legend, Daviss credited the man himself.
“It’s a process, and I’ve just been learning and growing. I got a great teacher,” he said.
The film’s release date has not been announced yet.
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