Lenny Kravitz to Play Marvin Gaye in Biopic

British rock documentarian Julien Temple will helm.

Posted: 11/27/2012 09:00 AM EST
Marvin Gaye, Lenny Kravitz

It's official: Lenny Kravitz will play Marvin Gaye in a big screen biopic about the legendary singer's life.

Deadline.com reports that celebrated British rock documentarian Julien Temple will direct the fictionalized film, called Sexual Healing, and that the rights to use Gaye's music in the film have been cleared. 

Sexual Healing will focus on the making of Gaye's Midnight Love album, during which Gaye was battling drug addiction and was considered a has-been by the public. Rumor has it that the long-awaited project was previously held up because Gaye's three children and Motown executive Berry Gordy were concerned with how Gaye (and Gordy) would be portrayed in the film. Presumably, those hurdles have been crossed. 

Kravitz, who recently wrapped production on Lee Daniels' The Butler, isn't the only actor to have been in the running to play Marvin Gaye. Jesse L. Martin was once attached to a biopic to be directed by F. Gary Gray, while Terrence Howard and Will Smith were reportedly both under consideration for Temple's project before the honor went to Kravitz.

Shooting is said to commence soon in Belgium. 


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(Photos from left: Wikicommons,Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

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