Kingsley Ben-Adir takes on Bob Marley in the musical biopic "One Love"

Having portrayed both President Obama and Malcolm X, British actor Kingsley Ben-Adir is no stranger to the challenges that come with portraying iconic figures in history. For his latest challenge, Ben-Adir took a walk in Bob Marley's shoes to play the reggae legend in "Bob Marley: One Love." The upcoming biopic focuses on the making of the album Exodus, and Marley's message of unity in the 1970s during a time of political strife in his native Jamaica. Correspondent Seth Doane spoke with Ben-Adir, and Marley's son, Ziggy Marley, to talk about "One Love," ahead of its Valentine's Day premiere.
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[@kairo333]

Just saw the film yesterday. Beautiful performance by the cast. All I can say is that I left the theater wanting more. I wish that the film was longer.

[@JasonDaSoulChild]

Same

[@Sandrae7560]

As a Jamaican I can say so far so good.. I believed he captured Bob Marley’s essence.. not just imitating him.. I’ve already bought my ticket. Can’t wait to see it🇯🇲

[@westyraviz]

This is what I said to some commenters on various platforms who weren’t happy that one of Bob’s kids or grandkids weren’t chosen to play lead. I explained that apart from that being nepotism, his offspring may not possess the acting chops to properly interpret Bob’s essence. Were Ky-Mani Marley (even though Ky-Mani has acting experience) or Julian Marley have played Bob, we’d likely be viewing Ky-Mani and Julian and not Bob. It’s very rare that children play their parents in biopics. As an actor, you need not be a carbon copy of your subject, you simply have to credibly capture the individual’s essence, and in Bob Marley’s case, convincingly convey his message through music like Bob did in his lifetime. I’m a lifelong Bob Marley enthusiast and I know his story very well, but I’ll still watch this Marley sanctioned biopic-which has been a longtime coming. Bob had a short but very, very, very eventful life, so it’s great that they limited the film to a period in time. Were they to do Bob’s entire life, it would probably need to be in a mini-series format😂. What a man! RIP Aston “Family Man” Barrett-without you the message would not have spread as far and as wide.

[@amoismith7004]

I agree!!!

[@brucegreen5781]

Marley’s natural⛽️🔥💨💯

[@351clevelandmodifiedmotor4]

well then if you're Jamaican you should know Bob better i dont think you know Bob if you think this guy captured bobs essence omfg, he looks nothing like bob and sounds nothing like him ,Bob didn't smile as much as this guy, off camera he didnt smile that much

[@351clevelandmodifiedmotor4]

​@@westyravizok then this question is to test you knowledge of Bob Marley,, how did he die???? get it wrong and you dont know Bob Marley

[@no1nestandsalone387]

I am crying my eyes out.. I love Ziggy’s message. Spreading the message of love and unity bcuz the world needs it! And Bob marleys music is a great way to unify!

[@leestigulmacklin5066]

WE ALL need this NOW!!!🙏🏽💖🕊 Thank God for Bob Marley and his family.

[@TheTredoc]

Indeed! One Luv ❤️!!!

[@alogod2890]

Could’ve said it better❤

[@krissy1974kr]

Kingsley Ben adir is amazing as Bob Marley ❤ absolutely loved this film ❤❤bob Marley was a truly genuinely pure soul xx

[@rreid3990]

I could watch this (a longer version) all day! Can't imagine the world without his music.

[@bbygrlpt2]

My fam is from Peru and they used to hear his songs back then too. He was loved in many parts of the world💖

[@nicolapowell7730]

Too true. I was in South America a few years back and I heard him in Columbia, Peru and Bolivia.

[@sonja0707]

​@nicolapowell7730 even in the Middle East

[@TheTredoc]

Absolutely well said! One Luv ❤️!!!

[@nicolapowell7730]

@@sonja0707 Next on my hit list 😀

[@jaytripoli2057]

Bc it's real people music

[@marvasewell2895]

As a Jamaican, I watched the movie highly recommended ❤

[@waynereid3718]

Kingsley is a good actor

[@centerpointselfcare]

Emotionally this hits deep. So happy the family is involved, this is far overdue.

[@shakeraferg9736]

He definitely caught Bob's essence. Well done!

[@sherylsimmons8111]

I grew up listening to Bob Marley's music. My mother loved him so much. She was a big fan. She passed away a year ago. She would have been so happy to hear about the Bob Marley movie. It's coming out on February 14, my Valentine's birthday! I can't wait to see it! Miss you, Mommy. 🌺❤💝 3:21

[@dinellewatson1507]

Happy Belated Birthday! I share my birthday with Bob Marley, so I'm definitely gonna see this movie this weekend.

[@gabbadd5840]

Outstanding Performance on the film!

[@jennyjones3978]

Kingsley did an awesome job, the whole cast was perfect! I loved it!❤

[@progamerdude712]

Straight outta YARD! our hero, ONE LOVE to the WORLD. ❤🇯🇲🇬🇭

[@WabiSabiLady]

Gave me chills watching this. A messenger of love and peace taken way too soon. I can't wait to see the movie!!

[@steveconn]

Saw Ziggy in concert some thirty years ago, visited Bob's birthplace at Nine Mile (night of the living dealers lol). Long overdue biopic for indeed a Legend. Theaters will be bangin' to Bob on V-Day! IRIE!!

[@ItsKells]

Excellent piece. Can’t wait to see this movie. Kingsley seems to have put his heart and soul into it and Bob would have it no other way ❤️💛💚✨🇯🇲

[@geraldmosley2195]

Bob sent his love to the world from his music. Redemption music, songs of freedom. Rip Bob

[@lindacholita]

Saw it yesterday...LOVED it !!

[@humbertfernandez486]

I was introduced to Bob Marley's music by a close friend just after he passed away in 1981. We would listen to audio cassettes for hours and days. At 57 years of age, Marley's music nor his message has never waned for me...

[@mikeseal3053]

I've watched the movie. BEST 👌🏿 EVER LEGEND

[@jalynjohnson]

Can’t wait to see. Bob and his music are so special to my family and I. ❤

[@351clevelandmodifiedmotor4]

i wont watch it because theres no way they will tell the truth about how Bob died because then the producer's will be murdered too

[@lking3024]

Bob Marley is beyond Legend. His concerts were spiritual experiences and his revolutionary/songs of freedom were the backdrop on every college campus in the early 70’s. Just listen to his lyrics!

[@HanniZenu]

This movie was very well done and my husband and I enjoyed it immensely. Thank you for the gift of sharing some of Bob Marley’s beautiful legacy through this movie. Well Done! 🇪🇹✡️🇯🇲🦁 As a woman of Ethiopian heritage, I was deeply touched by Bob Marley’s profound connection with the Emperor, King of Kings, Lion of the tribe of Judah, Haile Selassie I. His album cover, written in Amharic, is one of my all time favorite music collection to this day! Thank You.

[@kristineweatherhead7490]

"If Jah didn't love I/ Would I be around today?/ Would I be around to say?/ Give thanks and praises"- These words were always so true. Bob Marley is still so celebrated and relevant today worldwide.❤️💛💚

[@stari720]

Cuh Aunty Fae!!! Yes Madam Fae Ellington. Come inna the video light Yes. For those wondering she was the dialect coach of this film....another Jamaican legend!

[@BookishRaider]

I am excited to see this movie

[@racheller8753]

He and most reggae makes me feel joy-filled, love and inspiration 💛💚❤️

[@jawarablake]

I appreciate that he acknowledged we of Caribbean have our own language. We don’t often get that respect from film.

[@donh7909]

Where some would hear, I could feel.. He was and will always be remembered and miss and LOVED.. Glad to have lived back then..

[@rhondapaul2797]

I hope everyone supports this. I know I will! One Love ❤

[@johnmurphy6556]

King of Reggae always and forever. IRON, LION, ZION.

[@Sandramundy]

I can’t listen to Bob’s song, 🎵 Chances Are🎵🎵without weeping. The day Bob died (I was a little kid) when the announced his passing on the radio they kept playing Chances Are. Mom had the record so when the station went off air we kept playing it on the house. I listened to it yesterday and the tears just came out of no where. I still remember what the announcer’s voice sound sounded like. Bob Marley is the greatest that came out of Jamaica! 🇯🇲 One Love worldwide ❤️💚💛

[@spencerdawson6536]

You Married, Gorgeous? ❤️💚💛

[@jaskamon6127]

We did cover of that tune on one of our albums.

[@alicialeal4049]

Thank you Mr Chris Blackwell for signing Bob, without you, we will never heard about Marley. Truly a legend 😊

[@bayrondiaz7761]

Forever a Legend & Legends never die. Long Live Bob Marley.

[@GadaffiEkhoragbon-dm3gc]

Keep passing this on to generations yet unborn. I love Bob Marley.

[@czbabenwv]

Great tribute to your father

[@JAHblessedness]

Bob in Hawai’i is near Godlike in our eyes! Tuff Gong ya missed, but never forgotten in the aina of Hawai’i Nei.

[@nicolapowell7730]

How beautiful! My family is Jamaican, and it wasn't until I traveled did I realise how far his message/songs spread. 💞

[@joywilliams739]

Blessings to Hon. Bob Marley, u'll never be forgotten. Thanks CBS to be a sponsor

[@scotsam7590]

We used to have Wed night dinners at my friends, Ursula & Joey's home. Bob Marley was always played. Good music. Good friends. Good memories.

[@amypatterson764]

i so really just love bob marley music so so so so much the man is a legend, long lived bob

[@solutioninsearchofaproblem2402]

WOW, "On your way up, take me up, on your way down, don't let me down" how profound 🥹

[@ItsKells]

“Don’t let* me down”

[@solutioninsearchofaproblem2402]

@@ItsKells Thanks 🤗

[@ItsKells]

NP, one love! @@solutioninsearchofaproblem2402

[@PAYERMACK-bk5wh]

HE'S RESTING IN POWER ONE LOVE 💓/ & Always be relevant

[@shawnskerritt9867]

Best movie movie Its very hard to get someone to act and look like him dude played him well bless up

[@debbiefletcher-bryant5413]

I have reserved a spot on the sidewalk infront of the theater to be the 1st one to purchase my ticket and see it Feb. 14th!

[@earlhenry9770]

Can't wait to watch this movie. Bob Marley is an icon and a legend, and his music impacted the world. The man acting as Bob Marley has a Caribbean link, his mother is from Trinidad.

[@el.aye.bee.4477]

Not the first time that Trinidad has had a link to any of Jamaica's iconic figures, so to speak. The woman who was featured in Jamaica's most famous wet t-shirt poster is from Trinidad.

[@mililaniman]

I love Bob Marley's music of peace. I look forward to watching Kingsley Ben Adir's performance.

[@jeovanneramos5066]

As long as the Marley family is ok , im going to go see !

[@beautifullyflawed6723]

They hand picked him. They did an extensive video on the breakfast club.

[@mikelee9516]

The world need some of the love The Honorable Robert Marley spoke about.

[@kendricsantos-briggs869]

I remember constantly listening to his music in my mom’s car growing up. I’m pretty sure his CD’s were the only ones she had. Unfortunately, she passed about 4 years ago. I never really listened to his music when I got older, but watching this took me back and gave me great memories of my time with her. I cannot wait to watch the full film. Thank you for making this happen, paramount.

[@pisto30]

Loved Kingsley Ben-Adir in Peaky Blinders. Can't wait to see the movie!

[@KidAstronaut]

"The message of love, the message of unity - which the world desperately needs now" As Bob Marley's Redemption Song plays in the background. That was beautiful. Great job editors!

[@pixielectramusic]

Kingsley did an amazing job portraying Bob in the film!

[@BenjamintheTortoise]

Great interviews... He was certainly one of a kind. I'm looking forward to seeing the movie. Much love 💞

[@sunilmisra1]

Just saw the film today. Loved it. I remember in the 70s when Bob Marley was in London and not very well known outside Jamaica. There was a news story and a famous musician, can’t remember who said basically watch out for this guy, he’s that good

[@waynereid3718]

Bob Marley took just about 18 years to conquer the world 🌍 with his message in reggae music

[@bambooblue74]

Feel incredibly grateful to experience in my lifetime the music and biopic of my favorite artist and philosopher- a man who did and still is changing the world.

[@ddlargo69]

I remember listing to Bob’s recording of “One Love” melding it with another song by Curtis Mayfield, “People Get Ready”. Marley took creative license an uttered the lyric “There ain’t on hiding place from the Father of creation.” By far that is the more profound lyric I’ve ever heard in any song!

[@colinr4860]

RIP Aston "Family Man" Barrett

[@jahson460]

@ CBS Sunday Morning producers, Kingsley Ben-Adir, and Ziggy Marley, thank you so much 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

[@yagga8885]

Ziggy, I am proud of this project and sure your dad would have been. The Marleys are true Jamaican royalties. No drama, no violence, no disgrace, just pure enlightenment and empowering people to their better selves. Thanks for sharing. Proud Jamaican 🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲🤩

[@nikkikiska]

I feel bad for Kingsley Ben-Adir; no one can fake the emotion, the intensity, the spirituality, and the talent of Bob Marley. It's a fool's errand to try...

[@kofiasanteGH]

I think they should’ve gotten a Jamaican Bob. Closer to height and sound. But I will still support this film nonetheless.

[@khalifa5756]

On your way up, take me up. On your way down, don’t let me down #Legacy #BobMarley

[@neattechnologiestz8636]

Respect from Tanzania 🇹🇿

[@retzbesa638]

massive love & respect to Sir Bob Marley 🙏❤️💚🖤🇵🇭

[@Mario-lm8np]

Beautiful message - One Love ❤️ Can't wait to see!

[@gullsrus]

Looking forward very much to seeing this movie. As people have said already the world needs Bob now. x

[@natarajriya5550]

Bob Marley loved All. Over the World 🌍🌍🌍🌍🌍🌍🌍He Never Come on Streets...But He Told Al In His Song's Only For All. Humanity...❤❤❤❤❤🎉🎉🎉

[@el.aye.bee.4477]

The Bob Marley algorithm on KZbin and the rest of social media is going to go off the charts for the next few months or years even. More and more people are going to want to know (about) Bob.

[@ethiopianeyes]

so excited to see this today on valentines day. im taking my mother and some tissue cause shes gonna be crying

[@patriciavincent5076]

Love Bob. Deep in my heart!💜

[@SuperSpace2009]

Wow! That was amazing! Can't wait to see the movie. He was just a man about LOVE AND PEACE AND HOPE. Just think if he was still alive today the wonderful song he would have made. Bless him and his family still to this day.

[@DouglasRichardson-er4ky]

Bob Marley and Peter Tosh's music and messages changed my life for the better when i needed to hear their positivity 🙋🏻‍♂️ Im going to this movie EVEN IF IT SUCKS the Marley family produced it so im going to say THANK YOU best wishes to all that read this! I VOTED TO LEGALIZE MY BEAUTIFUL BIRTH STATE OF COLORADO and again here in Arizona I WON'T STOP 🛑 UNTIL THE USA IS FEDERALLY LEGAL 🔥💨🇺🇸💘🇯🇲

[@p.k.9660]

I saw him live.... June 1980 at a Concert in Berlin Waldbühne - will never forget it. Still have the pictures, we took with a camera. :)) Definitely watch this movie.

[@Sotangy247]

I loved the film. Everyone should go and see it and judge for themselves

[@Grd583]

Really good interviews. Fantastic that I almost 😢. Chris story from San Siro stadium 1980😮

[@richmck007]

It’s criminal that it took the powers that be so long to bring this legend to the silver screen.

[@sterlingrock7769]

You expected the citadels that Bob Marley's music exposed to embrace him after death? You are crazy! This movie should have been an independent project. I am skeptical about the authenticity of this film.

[@richmck007]

@@sterlingrock7769 oit of curiosity, how would have portrayed this biopic..?

[@kattahb4103]

No, it is not! TIMING is everything!

[@kattahb4103]

​@@sterlingrock7769Correct..Gatekeepers!

[@richmck007]

@@kattahb4103 you know nothing about the past 40 years then. I came up with the likes of Bob’s brethren. The family and Blackwell and the rest of the groupies have had more than enough time to dig into his past and make this biopic much rawer than the mainstream version that has hit the world. The essence of Bob’s legacy is not a hard task to bring to the silver screen. We still waiting for him to become a national hero, perhaps now with the popularity of this flick, Bob will finally be recognized in JA as one of the peoples’ national hero. Go watch Legacy and share it!

[@jaystoned6172]

much much much love to the marley family. heros get remembers , but legends never die...

[@user-dy4zf5pn1m]

Can’t wait too see it on Valentine’s Day ❤

[@sterlingh]

Legend Never Dies 🇯🇲❤️💛💚

[@Jamarrayy]

Bob has always been around in my life growing up. My dad loved him and he passed before I had any memories of him. I would listen to Bob just feel close to my dad and it helped!! I visited Jamaica last year and fell in love with every bit of the island. Can’t wait to go back again!!

[@melissatercero3645]

I have to see that movie. It looks good. I’m gonna have to buy my ticket for next weekend I love Bob Marley. He was a true icon. A true legend he was inspiration to all so to see this actor play him it’s amazing. I’ve only seen the thriller and he did good, I can’t wait to watch!!😍❤️

[@lakiva1000]

I love his ❤❤❤❤❤ music

[@nickpaz9113]

One of the greatest song writers of ALL time

[@cameroneagle4370]

BOBS music will live on for generations, he is sure my favorite white reggae artist

[@skatermom8259]

I love Bob Marley & the Wailers music. Since I was a teenager growing up in the 90’s, they truly have a unifying sound and message. ❤

[@LiveNgxenge-yb9hs]

This is unique, the legacy of our heroes must live on, Nelson Mandela and Steven Biko films were acted by European actors nothing wrong, Live frm South Africa.❤

[@MoseIsaako-gr4yy]

Even though hate is strong yet love conquers til end of days. One love. Will forever remember you the great Bob Marley ❤️❤️

[@ibrahimajaiteh-wl9zo]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤Rest in perfect peace Father Bob Marley i hope and pray to live with you Bob Marley in heaven again in eternal life Amen

[@superb63amg94]

Powerful!❤

[@jhesskeeptraveling]

Every time I see old videos of Bob, I say to myself, thank God his music and shows are recorded. I wish you were here bro in the flesh, but you are here in spirit.

[@All.Natural.]

Excellent movie!!!!!

[@aarifleander1179]

I treasure this giant of humanity.Thank you Ziggy and Kingsley for telling the story.The world will never forget Bob Marley.

[@fuhyou3223]

I couldn’t even finish One Night In Miami cause this dude STUNK so bad as Malcolm X and he’s supposed to be a good Marley?

[@aarifleander1179]

Great movie.Great actor.Long live Robert Marley..

[@piscesempress1978]

One Love, One Heart!

[@clarissawestbrook2203]

The man, the myth, the legend! I’m so excited to watch the Bob Marley biopic! ❤❤❤❤

[@carolbenson6524]

Cant wait to see this movie!!!!

[@BUBartendingNY]

❤❤❤ DEFINITELY A LEGEND