EXCLUSIVE: Paramount Pictures is moving forward with a biopic of Sammy Davis Jr.
, latter of whom was instrumental in gathering rights from Sammy Davis Jr’s estate. The movie is based on several resources, among them the singer’s 1965 memoirMenchel said after they set the project at Paramount under di Bonaventura’s deal, they searched long and hard for the right writer, and eventually found themselves on Murray’s doorstep. Physically, Charles Murray is the polar opposite of the wiry and diminutive film subject, nor would you confuse him with Arthur Murray for that matter.
As Murray began to build currency as a writer/producer, he tried hard to gain the rights to Davis’s life, but was rebuffed. When his manager told him of the writer search, he asked for and aced the meeting and quickly signed on. Murray didn’t take the job to fawn over his subject. Davis was plenty provocative, a mix of out-sized talent and ambition, courage and defiance, with a need to constantly prove his worth at all times that led to a lot of loneliness. Murray is convinced the singer/dancer paid a price earning his way toward being the only black man on those sets and on the stages of casinos where he wasn’t allowed to book a hotel room. James Brown could support Richard Nixon, but Davis Jr took heat when he did.
“James Brown didn’t get the same flack for bonding with Nixon because James was seen as the ultimate independent black man,” Murray said. “Sammy had to ask himself, how do I become normal to the majority, and do I subjugate my ego and personality to do so, even when my talent is equal to or better than most everyone else? He was proving himself, every moment he was in the public eye.
“All this drove him but was his demon,” Murray said. “He was constantly trying to impress people, and did not like being alone because that’s when the insecurities and terrible thoughts played in his head.” Being the life of the party kept him from distracting internal thoughts borne of a lifetime enduring racism, Murray said. “That is what most fascinates me about him. In public he could be defiant. When threatened about dating white women, he dives in deeper. He spends money he doesn’t have.
Norge Siste Nytt, Norge Overskrifter
Similar News:Du kan også lese nyheter som ligner på denne som vi har samlet inn fra andre nyhetskilder.
Paramount Acquires Musical Drama From Diane Warren Songs; Tamara Chestna To Write ScriptEXCLUSIVE: Paramount has acquired an untitled musical drama from prolific songwriter Diane Warren, based on her original music. Tamara Chestna is writing the script. Warren will produce with Unive…
Les mer »
Box Office: ‘Sonic’ And ‘Bad Boys 3’ Are The Hits Paramount And Sony NeededSony's 'Bad Boys For Life' and Paramount's 'Sonic the Hedgehog' are from studios that have struggled during the commercial decline of the high-concept star vehicle.
Les mer »
Paramount's 'Mean Girls' Pop-Up Restaurant Back On, Tickets On SaleOriginally set for November, the Santa Monica cafe was put on hold over licensing discussions with Paramount.
Les mer »
Diane Keaton Hilariously Inserts Herself Into Brutal Fight Scene from Keanu Reeves’ John Wick 3'You need to be careful and listen to me more often,' the actress jokingly wrote to her former costar Keanu Reeves
Les mer »
Investor Group to Acquire Majority Stake in Univision, Wade Davis to Become CEOAn investor group led by former Viacom CFO Wade Davis has agreed to acquire a majority stake in Spanish-language media giant Univision Communications for an undisclosed sum. Davis will become CEO. Details:
Les mer »
Katherine Johnson, Famed NASA Icon, Dies at 101Brilliant at math, she became one of the first living 'computers” NASA hired to help with meticulous calculations needed in a world where actual computers were rare, huge, and slow.
Les mer »