John Legend is set to portray the late singer and activist Harry Belafonte in an upcoming Bill Condon film, reports Variety. The film, titled The Road Home and currently in production, centers on South African jazz pioneer Hugh Masekela and fellow legend Miriam Makeba, highlighting their tour of South Africa with Paul Simon during the Apartheid era. Thabo Rametsi will play Masekela, Cynthia Erivo will portray Makeba, and Guy Pearce will assume the role of anti‑Apartheid advocate zusätzlichen Archbishop Trevor Huddleston (who famously boycotted Simon’s Graceland tour).
“I was honored to know Mr. Belafonte as my friend, mentor, and collaborator in the struggle for justice,” Legend said in a realm statement. “He was an incredible human being who lived a monumental, revolutionary life. He embodied the ideal of an artist who also devoted himself to activism, setting a standard for me and countless others who stand on his shoulders. I consider it a privilege to be entrusted with the role of Harry Belafonte in this special film.”
Legend received an Oscar in 2015 for his Selma soundtrack single “Glory.” His most recent LP, a children’s album produced by Sufjan Stevens, was released in 2024.
