The Jimi Hendrix film, Jimi: All By My Side, is set to star Andre 3000, the only actor the filmmakers say they wanted for the project. In an interview with Billboard, Jimi: All By My Side’s producer, Danny Bramson, speaks about their determination to have Andre 3000, whose real name is Andre Benjamin, in the film.
“We bet the house on our one and only choice, Andre Benjamin,” Bramson says. “Andre and I had ironically spoken once before — when I was producing music for Higher Learning. John Singleton had turned me on to the scene in Atlanta and the song they delivered to us predated their first album. I flew to Atlanta probably two and half years ago and sat down with Andre; I could finally thank him. The idea of anyone playing Hendrix, let alone a right-handed guitarist, was one of the greatest challenges of the project. I found a really patient teacher and put together a regimen for Andre when he came out to Los Angeles. He sat in a small studio, six hours a day, putting in dedication [to learn how to play left-handed]. His guitarmanship had to carry the idea of grace and fluidity. John and I declared that we didn’t want to have the camera cropped on his face and not the guitar. He kept working in a rehearsal room throughout the production.”
Jimi: All By My Side is set to play at 9 p.m. March 12 at the Paramount Theater, as per Billboard.
On March 5, the film’s first teaser was released, showing Andre 3000 as Jimi Hendrix. The clip can be found below.
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