News of November 4, 2003
Hollywood Premiere of "Tupac: Resurrection" at the Cinerama Dome
Film studio meets hip-hop: On November 4, 2003, Hollywood premiered "Tupac: Resurrection," with Afeni Shakur and Stevie Wonder among the guests.
Ten days before the theatrical release, Paramount hosted the premiere of Tupac: Resurrection at the Cinerama Dome in Hollywood on Tuesday, November 4, 2003. Variety described the evening as a meeting of two worlds: on one side film industry figures greeting each other with handshakes, on the other guests from rap bumping fists in greeting.
A Story in His Own Voice
Rob Friedman of Paramount said Tupac gave so many long interviews that it seemed as if he were telling his story himself even after his death. Variety noted that no network documented Tupac’s life on camera as extensively as MTV. Director Lauren Lazin spoke of “hundreds and hundreds of hours” of material, from radio interviews to court depositions. Her goal was to let Tupac tell his story from his own perspective, without others explaining him. He was a very honest, multifaceted person, and that had to come across in the film.
Guests at the Celebration
At the subsequent celebration at the Sunset Room, Variety saw Sherry Lansing and Jonathan Dolgen of Paramount, Van Toffler and David Gale of MTV Films, as well as producers Karolyn Ali, Preston Holmes, and Tupac’s mother Afeni Shakur. Guests also included Stevie Wonder, actress Jasmine Guy, and Djimon Hounsou.