The upcoming biopic Bob Marley: One Love tells the story of how the Jamaican reggae singer, guitarist, and songwriter Bob Marley overcame adversity to become one of the most revolutionary musicians in the world. And the director behind the biopic is Afro-Latine filmmaker Reinaldo Marcus Green.
Green was born to a Black father and Puerto Rican mother and raised in New York City. He enrolled in the graduate film program at NYU Tisch School of the Arts, an institution where he also worked as an adjunct professor.
In an exclusive behind-the-scenes featurette for the film, Marley’s son, Ziggy, discussed what he liked about Green’s approach to his father’s story. “[Reinaldo’s] idea and his vision is very interesting,” Ziggy said. “We’re trying to show an expression of different emotions.” Ziggy described Green’s effort as “authentic.”
Kingsley Ben-Adir, who plays Marley in the biopic, also praised Green for his drive for authenticity throughout the filmmaking process. “[Reinaldo] was very specific about how this film has to show vulnerability to Bob’s life in a way that felt truthful,” Ben-Adir said.
Lashana Lynch, who plays Marley’s wife, Rita, added that Green was “encouraging and absolutely invaluable” on the set and that he was “the right person for the job.”
Before Bob Marley: One Love, Green directed three other feature films. The 2018 drama Monsters and Men was inspired by the killing of Eric Garner at the hands of NYPD officers. The 2020 drama Joe Bell told the true story of a father who walked across America to honor his gay son who died by suicide.
In 2021, Green directed Will Smith’s Oscar winning performance in the drama King Richard about the father and coach of iconic tennis players Venus and Serena Williams.
Bob Marley: One Love premieres at theaters nationwide on February 14, 2024.