Wiz Khalifa is dusting off his acting chops to return to the silver screen as George Clinton in the forthcoming film, Spinning Gold.
A preview of the Taylor Gang rapper’s portrayal can be viewed in the movie trailer released Thursday (December 16), ahead of its March 2023 premiere.
Spinning Gold documents the rise of Casablanca Records in the 1970s, which was home to Parliament-Funkadelic, Donna Summer, Gladys Knight, the Isley Brothers and more.
Khalifa’s role was announced in 2021 when production on the film began in New Jersey. His co-stars include Tayla Parx as Donna Summer, Ledisi as Gladys Knight and Jason Derulo as Ron Isley of The Isley Brothers. The son of Casablanca label owner Neil Bogart, Timothy Scott Bogart, wrote and directed.
A film years in the making, Samuel L. Jackson was actually tapped to take on Wiz Khalifa’s role in June 2019. In an unrelated biopic about George Clinton that’s currently in the works, Eddie Murphy will portray the Parliament-Funkadelic luminary.
“Spinning Gold is about a group of people who, once upon a time, lived a fairytale and made their dreams come true, all set to some of the greatest music ever pressed in vinyl,” Timothy Scott Bogart said in a 2021 press release.
“Bringing these dreamers and artists to life has been the privilege of my life. For a film about one of the greatest salesmen in the entrainment business, I am thrilled to be working with Christian, Marc and the entire team of Capstone to share this timeless story to audiences and music lovers around the world.”
This is not Wiz Khalifa’s first go at acting. The Pittsburgh native made his debut in a cameo role in 2012’s Gang of Roses II: Next Generation, and then starred alongside Snoop Dogg in their stoner comedy Mac & Devin Go to High School later that same year.
He was most recently part of the voice cast for Fox’s animated series Duncanville alongside Amy Poehler, Rashida Jones and Ty Burrell, with the first season airing in 2020 and its third and final season in 2022.
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