There have been quite a lot of major biopics of Marvin Gaye planned over the years, but none of them have made it to the big screen. However Julien Temple (The Great Rock ‘n’ Roll Swindle, The Fith And The Fury, Glastonbury, Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten) has been trying to remedy that with Sexual Healing. Recently it was reported he was trying to get Lenny Kravitz to play the singer.
Now it seems Kravitz is out and Deadline reports that he’s likely to be replaced by Jesse L. Martin. While best known for starring in Law & Order, Martin made his name in Broadway musicals, most famously in the original cast of Rent (he also appeared in the film version), so he could be a good fit for the Motown legend.
The film will look at the last years of Marvin Gaye’s life from 1981. The period saw huge success for the singer, with the likes of Sexual Healing hitting the top of the charts, however in 1984 after an argument with his parents, Marvin’s father shot and killed him (with a revolver the singer had given him as a present, no less).
Gaye also had issues with alcohol and drug abuse, but it his manager helping to get him clean (and sort out his taxes) led to his early 80s success. However, Marvin was found to have cocaine and angel dust in his system when he died, which many have suggested is the reason why the argument got so out of control.
Temple plans to start shooting Sexual Healing later this month in Europe.