The build up to All Eyez on Me, Tupac Shakur’s first Hollywood biopic, has been phenomenal.
In the past few months, Nas opened up a Powamekka themed restaurant in honor of the star, Shakur’s work was immortalized by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and Steve McQueen signed on to direct a full-length documentary on his life.
And now, we’re getting a glimpse of Danai Gurira’s incredible portrayal of ‘Pac’s mother, Afeni Shakur in the highly-anticipated film.
“With those types of blessings come responsibility, to not only encourage others but to set a good example with what I do with the work I’ve been given,” Gurira told ESSENCE about playing powerful women like Shakur.
“[I have] to pursue excellence, because I understand that there’s so many talented Black women out there that don’t often get the opportunities that they could or should.”
Newcomer Demetrius Shipp Jr. who leads the cast as Tupac Shakur, Kat Graham as Jada Pinkett, Annie Ilonzeh as Kidada Jones, Dominic L. Santana as Suge Knight, and Jamal Woolard as Christopher “Biggie Smalls” Wallace also star in the film.
The indomitable talent who starred in over a dozen movies and wrote hits like, “Dear Mama” and “I Ain’t Mad At Cha” died in 1996 at the age of 25.
All Eyez on Me opens in theaters on June 16.
