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Cynthia Erivo to Play Afeni Shakur in Snoop Dogg Biopic
Confirmed
In Short: Cynthia Erivo will portray Afeni Shakur, Tupac's mother and former Black Panther activist, in Universal Pictures' biopic of Snoop Dogg.
Cynthia Erivo, known for her roles in 'Wicked' and 'The Road Home,' has been cast as Afeni Shakur in Universal Pictures' biopic of Snoop Dogg. Erivo will play the role of Afeni, the mother of the late Tupac Shakur and a former Black Panther activist.
Afeni Shakur, born Alice Faye Williams in 1947, moved to the Bronx with her mother at age 11 and joined the Black Panther Party in 1968 after hearing Bobby Seale speak. She became a central figure in the organization's New York chapter.
Erivo's portrayal of Afeni Shakur is expected to be a key role in the film, as Afeni's relationship with Tupac is central to how many fans understand him. Her inclusion suggests the film will touch on the wider world around Snoop Dogg’s rise.
The biopic, directed by Craig Brewer, will chronicle Snoop Dogg's journey from Long Beach to global hip-hop superstardom. It will incorporate music from Snoop's vast catalog and feature a loaded cast, including Lauren London, Myles Bullock Be, Jonica Booth, and Jonathan Daviss.
Snoop Dogg is serving as producer alongside Brian Grazer, Allan Mandelbaum, and Sara Ramaker, president of Death Row Pictures. The film will also feature Ice-T, Dre, rapper SwayvoTwain as The Notorious B.I.G., rapper G Perico as Snoop's early mentor Big Reecie Cup, and Outer Banks actor Jonathan Daviss in the lead role.
Afeni Shakur's life was chronicled most recently in the FX documentary 'Dear Mama,' directed by Allen Hughes. She launched the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation one year after her son’s death and oversaw the late rapper’s estate.
Erivo, who recently earned her second Grammy Award for 'Defying Gravity,' performed with Ariana Grande, is repped by UTA, Entertainment 360, and Peikoff Mahan. She will be joining a cast that includes Camron Jones as Tupac and Ice-T, who recently confirmed his appearance in the film on X.
The trailer for the film is set to be released on Thursday, Nov. 15, 2027, with Erivo teasing on Instagram, 'Every empire fears rebellion.'
What this adds
Erivo's role as Afeni Shakur will highlight the political and activist background of Tupac's mother, adding depth to the film's narrative.
What's confirmed
- Black Excellence within the Black Experience of TV and Film Cynthia Erivo has joined the cast of Snoop, Universal Pictures’ biopic of Snoop Dogg, and will portray Afeni Shakur, the Black Panther activist, political prisoner, and mother of Tupac Shakur, Variety and The Hollywood Reporter both report exclusively.
- Born Alice Faye Williams in North Carolina in 1947, Afeni Shakur moved to the Bronx with her mother as an 11-year-old and joined the Black Panther Party in 1968 after hearing Bobby Seale speak, becoming a central figure in the organization’s New York chapter.
- Snoop Dogg is serving as producer alongside Brian Grazer, Allan Mandelbaum, and Death Row Pictures president Sara Ramaker.
- According to The Hollywood Reporter, Cynthia will be portraying Afeni Shakur, the mother of the late Tupac, in a key role.
What's still developing
- Currently, Erivo is working on her turn as history-making South African singer Miriam Makeba in The Road Home, the forthcoming film from Dreamgirls director Bill Condon.
- Following Tupac’s 1996 murder, Snoop Dogg consistently paid tribute to his late friend.
- In addition to being Shakur’s mother, Afeni is a former Black Panther activist who had a strained relationship with her son and is the subject of his top 10 hit “Dear Mama.” Meanwhile, Daviss will play Snoop Dogg, a West Coast hip-hop legend and indelible pop culture force who transitioned from the razor-sharp, G-funk realism of Doggystyle into a universally beloved icon of effortless cool.
- Erivo is a known quantity at Universal, having starred in the studio’s massively successful two-part Wicked movies.
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