News of January 11, 2016
Danai Gurira Plays Afeni Shakur in Tupac Biopic
Fresh from 'The Walking Dead' to Atlanta: Danai Gurira takes on the role of Tupac's mother Afeni Shakur in the biopic 'All Eyez on Me'.
In Atlanta, Georgia, filming was reportedly already underway when key casting was confirmed on January 11, 2016: Danai Gurira plays Tupac’s mother Afeni Shakur in the biopic All Eyez on Me. Vibe and AllHipHop cited Deadline for the report. Gurira was known to television audiences as Michonne in The Walking Dead, and had earned critical acclaim with the Broadway play Eclipsed.
Prominent Influence After a Rocky Start
Benny Boom directed, and newcomer Demetrius Shipp Jr. took on the lead role. According to Vibe, the film follows the peak of Tupac’s career, his time in prison, and his time at Death Row Records. Afeni Shakur was involved as an executive producer and thus had, as Vibe wrote, a prominent influence on how her son’s story is told. The magazine noted that the project had a rocky start.
Afeni Shakur did not live to see the finished film: she died in May 2016, before its theatrical release, see Afeni Shakur dies at 69.