John Legend is set to star in Bill Condon’s apartheid-era drama “The Road Home,” playing civil rights activist and entertainer Harry Belafonte. The film centers on South African music legends Hugh Masekela and Miriam Makeba, and on their experiences during the period surrounding Paul Simon’s late-1970s/early-1980s efforts that culminated in the classic album “Graceland.” Multiple outlets describe the story as depicting the political controversy and public scrutiny that accompany the Masekela and Makeba artists’ involvement in Simon’s tour and related events.
Legend joins an established ensemble cast that includes Thabo Rametsi as Hugh Masekela and Cynthia Erivo as Miriam “Mama Africa” Makeba. Johnny Flynn is cast as Paul Simon, and each report identifies Bill Condon as the director. Deadline and other outlets also characterize the film as following the political firestorm around the creation of “Graceland.” Variety notes that principal photography has begun, while Deadline frames Legend’s participation as a casting agreement for the role of Belafonte.
