Released in Brazil on February 12, Bob Marley's biopic managed to attract thousands of viewers to the big screen. The Jamaican singer had a major influence on the music scene, bringing reggae to the stage with songs that promoted peace and love. It was also up to director Reinaldo Marcus Green to adapt his life for the silver screen.
Although it has so far received only 43% of approval from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, the film has been very well received by the general public, achieving 92% of approval. Want to know who's in the cast of Bob Marley: One Love and who the real-life characters are that they're playing? Stick with us and we'll show you!
Bob Marley - Kingsley Ben-Adir
English actor Kingsley Ben-Adir has been cast in the lead role in Bob Marley: One Love. The 37-year-old brings the most famous reggae singer of all time to life with impeccable characterization.
You've probably seen Kingsley Ben-Adir in other works that featured him, such as the Peaky Blinders series, where he played Ben Younger, or the Barbie movie, where he also played a version of Ken. He also appeared in Secret Invasion, a Disney series that is part of the MCU, and in the movie King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, released in 2017.
Cindy Breakspeare - Umi Myers
In real life and in the plot, Cindy Breakspeare is a beautiful young woman who was crowned beauty queen in 1976, the year she began having an affair with Bob Marley. From this relationship, which lasted until the singer's death in 1981, a son called Damian Marley was born, who came into the world in 1978.
In the cast of Bob Marley: One Love is actress Umi Myers, who will play the Miss World who won the singer's heart. Her most notable previous roles were in Silent Witness, a series released in 1996, and the 1992 series Dope Girls.
Rita Marley - Lashana Lynch
Bob Marley's official wife, Rita Marley, is played by actress Lashana Lynch in Bob Marley: One Love. The woman of fiber who was by the singer's side is also very well represented by the actress, who is known for her work in the film industry. In the movie, she continues to be that same strong woman who helps the singer until the end of his life.
Lynch played an important role in The Marvels (2023) as Maria Rambeau and was also cast in 007: No Time to Die (2021). You can also see all the actress's talent in The King's Wife and Damned: the Musical, both released in 2022.
Cedella Malcolm - Nadine Marshall
The singer's mother, who was also a singer and writer in Jamaica, is played by Nadine Marshall in Bob Marley: One Love. In the story of the movie we can see how important Bob Marley's mother was to his career and development as an artist and Marshall conveys this very well. The English actress was born in 1972 and is well known for her successful roles in The Smoking Room (2004), A Street Cat Named Bob (2016) and Paddington 2 (2017).
Chris Blackwell - James Norton
Chris Blackwell was the founding producer of Island Records and played a very important role in Marley's career. Without him, Bob Marley probably wouldn't have made it this far in his career and the movie makes a point of showing this importance in the development of the character. In the cast of Bob Marley: One Love, he is played by English actor James Norton, born in 1985, who also appeared in the films Lovely Women and The Shadow of Stalin, both released in 2019.
Judy Mowatt is a talented Jamaican singer who was part of a band called The Gaylettes until 1970. In 1975 she teamed up with Rita Marley and Marcia Griffiths to form the trio "I Threes" which served as backing vocals for Bob Marley & The Wailers.
The cast of Bob Marley: One Love features actress Anna-Sharé Blake. She goes by the stage name Sevana and is successful both as an actress and a singer. Born in Jamaica in 1991, Sevana is also known for her role in the TV series Losing Patience (2017).
Marcia Griffiths - Naomi Cowa
Marcia Griffiths was the third member of The Gaylettes in the cast of Bob Marley: One Love, played by actress Naomi Cowan. The artist is known in the music world for being a great reggae singer and has also been featured in another screen work: When Morning Comes, a drama released in 2022.
The Gaylettes served as Bob Marley's backing vocals in various performances and recordings, as mentioned in the previous paragraph, and their presence in the film makes it clear how much they supported the artist's career. Cowan's performance delivers everything the role asks of her and you get closer to her character throughout the movie.
Carly Barrett - Hector Lewis
Born in Jamaica in 1990, Hector Lewis plays Carly Barrett in Bob Marley: One Love. This is the first major role for the actor, who is also a musician. The character he played was Bob Marley's drummer who, in real life, was very excited about the singer's biopic, as he revealed in an interview with Paramount Pictures.
Howard Bloom - Michael Gandolfini
Howard Bloom worked promoting many famous musicians in the 1970s, such as Prince, Billy Joel and, of course, Bob Marley. His part in the singer's career in the film is portrayed by actor Michael Gandolfini who, despite having a recent career, is already one of the biggest names in the cast of Bob Marley: One Love.
It all started for him when he had a role in The Many Saints of Newark (2021), a kind of spin-off of The Soprano Family, an old title that was very popular with the general public. His performance was so good that he soon attracted the attention of several producers and went on to appear in Cherry: Innocence Lost (2021), Landscape with an Invisible Hand (2023) and Beau Is Afraid (2023).
Don Taylor - Anthony Welsh
Don Taylor acted as Bob Marley's agent from 1975 until his death in 1981. In the cast of Bob Marley: One Love, English actor Anthony Welsh is responsible for bringing this character to life.
Welsh has a well-established career in a wide variety of roles. He is best known for his roles in the series Roof for Two and Master of None, but can also be seen in titles such as Black Mirror and The Great.
Tyrone Downie - Tosin Cole
Tyrone Downie was the keyboard player in Bob Marley & The Wailers. In the cast of Bob Marley: One Love he is played by actor Tosin Cole, who shows a lot of charisma in the role. Tosin Cole is most famous for playing the character Ryan Sinclair in seasons 11 and 12 of Doctor Who.
Downie was a dedicated drummer and also stood by Bob Marley in difficult times. His career wouldn't have been the same without him and Tosin Cole manages to convey this very well in his role.
Aston "Family Man" Barrett - Aston Barrett Jr.
Aston Barrett was an active member of the band Bob Marley & the Wailers and co-producer of many of their albums. In Bob Marley: One Love he is played by his own son, Aston Barrett Jr. The Bob Marley biopic marks the actor's career debut.
As well as being Marley's work partner, Barret was his friend and also supported him a lot throughout his career. This relationship is explored in depth in the film and represented with a performance worthy of note for a debut work.
Conclusion
Bob Marley was of gigantic importance to the music scene and it's only right that the full cast of Bob Marley: One Love should be full of big names. The story, which has been acclaimed by the public but not so much by critics, tries to show the artist's more personal side, bringing his fans closer to him, even though he has already passed away.
What about you? Have you seen the movie? What was your impression of it? Send us your message in the comments field. Also, be sure to check out our exclusive content on the greatest action movie actors of all time!
