There was always going to be a place for Tupac Shakur in a film about Snoop Dogg's rise through Death Row Records. His mother, Afeni Shakur, is now part of that story, too, with Cynthia Erivo cast to portray the late Black Panther activist. The announcement has raised some eyebrows, particularly because the British actress previously faced criticism for portraying another prominent Black American historical figure, Harriet Tubman.
Universal Pictures confirmed the casting on Wednesday (Nov. 4), adding Erivo to an ensemble led by Outer Banks actor Jonathan Daviss as Snoop Dogg. Camron Jones will portray Tupac, while Lauren London has been cast as Snoop's mother, Beverly Tate. The film, titled Snoop, is directed by Craig Brewer, whose credits include Hustle & Flow. The project is currently filming in Southern California, with Snoop himself serving as a producer.
Erivo is playing a woman who, before Tupac became one of Hip Hop's unforgettable artists, was an activist involved with the Black Panther Party in New York. She was among the defendants in the Panther 21 case and was acquitted in 1971, shortly before Tupac was born. Their complicated relationship later inspired his 1995 hit "Dear Mama." After his death in 1996, Afeni oversaw his estate and worked to preserve his legacy until her own passing in 2016.
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Cynthia Erivo Previously Faced Criticism Over Harriet Tubman Casting
Erivo's involvement has also brought renewed attention to a longstanding debate about Black British actors portraying historical Black American figures. When she was cast in the 2019 biopic Harriet, some critics questioned why an actress born in London to Nigerian parents had been selected to portray Tubman rather than a Black American performer. The backlash also intensified after old social media posts resurfaced, which some interpreted as mocking Black Americans. Erivo denied that interpretation, arguing her comments were taken out of context.
The actress addressed the larger casting controversy in a 2020 interview with Roxane Gay for The Hollywood Reporter, acknowledging that "valid points had been made" while encouraging further discussion about the different experiences of Black Americans and Black British performers. More recently, she revisited the subject with The Guardian in October, expressing frustration that the debate continues. "I still think it's happening," she said, calling it "a waste of everyone's time."
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Despite the earlier controversy, Erivo earned an Academy Award nomination for her performance in Harriet and later portrayed Aretha Franklin in National Geographic's Genius anthology series. Her casting as Afeni places her in another production centered on a significant figure in Black American history, although the extent of the character's involvement in Snoop's story hasn't been disclosed.
Meanwhile, the biopic is scheduled to arrive in theaters on Aug. 6, 2027. Its growing cast also includes Myles Bullock as Dr. Dre and Tre Hale as Suge Knight, with Algee Smith portraying Warren G. Snoop's longtime collaborators Kurupt and Nate Dogg will be portrayed by Olly Sholotan and Corey Champagne, respectively, giving the production a substantial lineup as it revisits the early years of Death Row Records.
