John Legend to Portray Harry Belafonte in ‘The Road Home’ Film About Controversy Over Paul Simon’s ‘Graceland’ Album
Categoria: Musica
The film from director Bill Condon (Gods and Monsters, Chicago) will also feature Johnny Flynn as Simon and Cynthia Erivo as singer Miriam Makeba.
Por Billboard | 30/07/2026
John Legend is gearing up for his biggest movie role to date. The “All of Me” singer has been cast in a pivotal role in director Bill Condon’s upcoming music drama The Road Home , which tells the story of the political and cultural fallout from the recording of Paul Simon ‘s beloved 1986 album Graceland . According to The Hollywood Reporter , EGOT winner Legend has signed on to portray singer and civil rights warrior Harry Belafonte in the project from the director of Chicago and Gods and Monsters . The film, which is now shooting in South Africa, will take on the controversial decision by Simon (played by Lovesick ‘s Johnny Flynn) to record the Grammy-winning album in the apartheid-era country at a time when the nation’s racial segregation inspired a global cultural boycott movement. Simon’s seventh, and most successful, album, was recorded in part in Johannesburg with township musicians and paid loving homage to several South African music styles, and included performances and vocals from South African-native musicians. It was, however, produced at a time when the anti-apartheid movement was encouraging artists and creators to avoid the country to protest the minority white government’s oppression of the majority Black population. Simon’s decision caused outrage from the movement, which accused him of violating the United Nations’ cultural boycott. THR reported that the film’s arc will be told from the perspective of exiled South African trumpeter Hugh Masakela (Thabo Rametsi), who has to choose between his mentor, movement leader Archbishop Trevor Huddleston (Guy Pearce) — who calls for a boycott of Simon — and his own feeling that Simon’s music could help boost the struggle against the apartheid government. It follows Masakela as he breaks from Huddleston and joins up with fellow exile and legendary singer Mariam “Mama Africa” Makeba — portrayed by Wicked ‘s Cynthia Erivo — to join Simon’s Graceland supergroup in an effort to bring the nation’s music to the world. THR noted that civil rights icon and leader of the American anti-apartheid movement Belafonte was an early booster of both Masakela and Makeba, helping fund Masakela’s music studies in exile and bringing Makeba’s music to the world, including sharing a Grammy Award with her for their 1966 LP An Evening With Belafonte/Makeba . Belafonte was such a respected figure at the time that Simon went to him for advice before traveling to South Africa for his most ambitious recording to date, with Belafonte suggesting he get a signoff from the anti-apartheid movement’s leaders first, counsel Simon did not heed. “I was honored to know Mr. Belafonte as my friend, mentor and collaborator in the struggle for justice,” said Legend in a statement. “He was an incredible human being who lived a monumental, revolutionary life. He was the epitome of an artist and activist who set