We’ve already had our first glance at the two young stars set to play Dr Dre and Ice Cube in the upcoming N.W.A. biopic Straight Outta Compton, and are now hearing how the rest of the cast looks to be filling out; with Ironclad’s Paul Giamatti stepping into the role of Jerry Heller.
Having represented the likes of Journey, Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), and REO Speedwagon Jerry Heller already had a fairly established career in the music business before he took the young rap-group under his wing, but suddenly saw his career taking a different path once he and N.W.A. rapper Eazy-E co-founded Ruthless records; the label which would propel the Niggaz Wit Attitudes into super-stardom.
An influential character who was not only accused of mismanaging the group’s finances, but sowing seeds of discontent between its members, Heller should give Giamatti plenty to work with when he pops up alongside O’Shea Jackson Jr (Ice Cube’s real life son), who’ll be playing Ice Cube, Corey Hawkins as Dr Dre, and Jason Mitchell as Eazy-E, in the film which begins in the mid ‘80s and charts not only the meteoric rise of the N.W.A. (which also included members DJ Yella and MC Ren) from no-name rappers to Billboard superstars, but the group’s in-fighting, and censorship.
Due to be directed by F. Gary Gray (Law Abiding Citizen), and also starring Aldis Hodge, Neil Brown Jr, and Corey Reynolds, Straight Outta Compton is currently filming in Los Angeles, and is due to be released on August 14th 2015 in the US, though no official UK release date has been confirmed as yet.
Matt Wheeldon – @TheMattWheeldon.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter.
