Who’s your choice to play MLK in Spielberg movie?
DreamWorks Studios and producer-director Steven Spielberg want to make “the definitive film” on the life and legacy of civil rights icon Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
And while the King siblings inevitably squabble over the rights to the movie, we want to start a different conversation, both in topic and in tone: Who should play King in the biopic?
Remember, the man was short (5 and a half feet) and died young (39). So taller, mature actors wouldn’t be the best fit. (Sorry, Denzel.)
And, while we’re at it, what actress would you choose to play the role of Coretta Scott King?
(Commenting is now closed for this entry.)
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82 comments Add your comment
proudlady
May 20th, 2009
11:33 am
Forest Whitaker and Sanaa Lathan
James
May 20th, 2009
11:35 am
how tall is jaime Fox?
Tabatha
May 20th, 2009
11:35 am
My choice to play MLK is his son Dexter (although he’s not a seasoned actor). Lynn Whitfield is my choice for Coretta Scott King.
Jeremy
May 20th, 2009
11:38 am
It’s going to be difficult to find someone with the features, voice and charisma of a Martin Luther King, Jr. but as far as Coretta Scott King, I feel that the role should go to Carmen Ejogo. She played Martin Lawrence’s girlfriend in “What’s the Worst That Could Happen” and she played Coretta Scott King in “Boycott” from HBO and had a very striking resemblance to her.
Dee
May 20th, 2009
11:45 am
Jeffrey Wright – MLK Jr. Gabrielle Union – Coretta Scott King
bulldamma
May 20th, 2009
11:45 am
Jeffrey Wright (i.e Cadillac Records, Shaft, Boycott) and Thandie Newton would make a perfect Martin and Coretta.
Dentster
May 20th, 2009
11:46 am
Martin Lawrence as Dr. King…..I think he could pull it off and it would be a huge switch for him to play a real drama.
Just my thoughts
May 20th, 2009
11:47 am
Angela Bassett would be a good Coretta. MLK should be an undiscovered actor. I’m not sure if there is a young, short, black well known actor out there who could pull it off without being compared to previous work. It would be such a strong and career defining role.
Gwen
May 20th, 2009
11:48 am
Dexter and sanaa Latham
renee
May 20th, 2009
11:49 am
tanji p henson
Trish
May 20th, 2009
11:50 am
Husband and wife team, Courtney Vance and Angela Bassett.
Peggy
May 20th, 2009
11:52 am
Jasmine Guy for Coretta
Dexter King for MLK
EJ
May 20th, 2009
11:58 am
Sanaa Lathan and Jamie Foxx
Kris
May 20th, 2009
11:58 am
Hill Harper & Carmen Ejogo
Calvin Hill
May 20th, 2009
12:06 pm
Jeffrey Wright and Carmen Ejogo should play the pasrt of MLK and Corretta Scott-King
Dawn
May 20th, 2009
12:08 pm
I like Trish’s thoughts – Courtney Vance and Angela Bassett
Allison
May 20th, 2009
12:11 pm
Lorenz Tate or Blair Underwood as MLK; Regina King or Angela Bassett as Corretta.
joshua
May 20th, 2009
12:11 pm
Nate Parker, From the Great Debaters, and Jurnee Smollett, Eve’s Bayou the Great Debaters and Roll Bounce. Time to use some of our younger actors to play the part of King. After all he was young and passionate.
Imrdy2buymyticketnow
May 20th, 2009
12:12 pm
Young Coretta Sanaa Lathan, Older Coretta Lynn Whitfield, Julian Bond or Andrew Young Terrence Howard, Young Martin The actor that played lead in Antwann Fisher (can’t bring his name to mind),Hosea Williams Jaimie Foxx (he would also make a good Martin, but that is too much weight gain for him),or David Mann (could be a good Martin as well). I do not know who could play John Lewis or Rosa. Mr. Spielberg, you have your work cut out for you in casting this movie let alone making it live up to the man the legend of Dr. King.
KenFromCalifornia
May 20th, 2009
12:13 pm
martin luther king: anthony anderson
coretta scott king: elise neal
jesse jackson: tajh mowry
john f kennedy: chad lowe
joseph lowrey: jaleel white
harry belafonte: neyo
stokely carmichael: d.b. woodside
gov. george wallace: tommy lee jones
j edgar hoover: james spader
The Wisdom Knot
May 20th, 2009
12:15 pm
I agree – Jeffrey Wright and Carmen Ejodo – they both did a great job in HBO Movie Boycott -
Anjie
May 20th, 2009
12:15 pm
Sophie Okonedo, Salli Richardson, or Lisa Raye as Coretta King. Maybe Cuba Gooding, Jr. with a thicker mustache as Dr. King.
Karima Wilson
May 20th, 2009
12:16 pm
Lela Rochon and Michael Beach would play and look the part of Martin and Coretta well.
Drew
May 20th, 2009
12:17 pm
Dexter King – MLK – Thandie Newton or Regina King as Coretta
tan
May 20th, 2009
12:19 pm
jeffery wright as rev. mlk and jada picket smith as coretta so she will be required to pickup some pounds
Travis
May 20th, 2009
12:20 pm
Hill Harper- Martin
Coretta- Lynn Whitfield or Angela Bassett
Mychelle
May 20th, 2009
12:26 pm
My thoughts are Angela Bassett as Mrs. Coretta Scott King, and Denzel Washington, Jamie Foxx, or Forrest Whitaker (preference in that order).
Ann
May 20th, 2009
12:26 pm
Jeffrey Wright and Carmen Ejogo did an awesome job playing these roles in Boycott. I felt I was really watching him because they were able to show the sensitive side of Martin and a Coretta Scott King.
Mildred
May 20th, 2009
12:27 pm
Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith
DeeDee
May 20th, 2009
12:28 pm
Michael Beach and Nia Long
David Clay
May 20th, 2009
12:32 pm
For MLK, Jr. — Cuba Gooding, Jr. An underrated talent who has countless times demonstrated the ability to play varying roles – always in a top quality manner.
sd
May 20th, 2009
12:36 pm
Before Ben Kingsley played Ghandi, he was not well known in the US. He was basically a british small part tv actor.
I would do something similar here. A well-known entity in the film could have the effect of distracting the audience.
Allva
May 20th, 2009
12:37 pm
Angela Bassett for Coretta and Courtney Vance (husband & wife) team. Both would be perfect for Martin & Coretta
Robert
May 20th, 2009
12:42 pm
Hill Harper as Dr. King and Kimberly Elise as Corretta
Robert
May 20th, 2009
12:42 pm
Kimberly Elise as Coretta
B Davis
May 20th, 2009
12:43 pm
No Angela Bassett, TOO DRAMATIC, TOO OLD, NOT CONVINCING. No Jamie Foxx, TOO UGLY. Hope they hire two fresh actors with incredible talent, they’re out there.
Carmen
May 20th, 2009
12:45 pm
I remember hearing a close friend of the King family saying that their ideal person to play MLK Jr. would be Eddie Murphy because he had a humorous side to him that the public did not get to see. Based on his performance in “Dreamgirls,” I would like to see Eddie do it. As for Coretta, I agree that Carmen Ejogo did a wonderful job playing her in “Boycott,” but I would like to see someone like Paula Patton in the role.
Jake
May 20th, 2009
12:45 pm
This might sound a bit crazy. However I think he can pull it off. His features resembles MLK some. Eddie Murphy. If not Murphy I’d say Dexter King.
Ron
May 20th, 2009
12:46 pm
Idris Elba and Jada Pinkett-Smith
Jacqueline
May 20th, 2009
12:50 pm
My brother, Robert Wright. Who says that a celebrity should play the part. My brother has done MLK’s “I have a dream” at several celebrations. And if you closed your eyes, you would think MLK was there in person. He has been asked each year to do the speech at various events.
Jake
May 20th, 2009
12:52 pm
For the role of Coretta King how about Taraji P. Henson.
Roja
May 20th, 2009
12:53 pm
Eddie Murphy and Wanda Sykes would be perfect for the parts. Their resemblencs is uncanny.
KenFromCalifornia
May 20th, 2009
12:53 pm
gotta get these folks in this movie somewhere…any ideas?
don cheadle
cch pounder
powers boothe: a better choice for j edgar hoover than my previous choice of james spader
Gerald
May 20th, 2009
12:53 pm
Morris Chestnut and Sanaa Lathan
joe l
May 20th, 2009
12:54 pm
Phylisha Rashad as an older Corretta Scott and Jim Lucas as MLK.
Look them both up. They would both be amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Valerie
May 20th, 2009
12:58 pm
Dexter King or Will Smith as Martin Phylicia Rashad or Jasmine Guy as Corretta
nita
May 20th, 2009
1:00 pm
i agree ron, idris elba and jada pinkett. definitely jada. possibly kid from great debaters as martin
PowderSpringsPlaya
May 20th, 2009
1:01 pm
Larenz Tate as MLK
Jada Pinkett as Coretta
Robert
May 20th, 2009
1:06 pm
Okay… yeah Phylicia Rashad Allen as Coretta… I can see that. As for Martin..I still say Hill Harper. or Bishop T.D. Jakes
Katrice H
May 20th, 2009
1:11 pm
MLK – Jeffrey Wright
CSK – Kimberly Elise
AY – Terrence Howard
Paula
May 20th, 2009
1:13 pm
I love the idea of Nate Parker and Jurnee Smollett. They had great on-screen chemistry in The Great Debaters.
Jake
May 20th, 2009
1:15 pm
Here’s one who can pull it off in terms of resemblance. Anthony Anderson
http://www.imdb.com/media/rm2589559296/tt0098844
April
May 20th, 2009
1:17 pm
This has Denzel written all over it. Phyisha Rashaad as Coretta.
Self Fan
May 20th, 2009
1:17 pm
Eddie Murphy, definitely. Jada Pinkett as Coretta.
Wanda White
May 20th, 2009
1:18 pm
Sanaa Lathan and Jeffrey Wright or let the King’s heirs decide.
Resie
May 20th, 2009
1:23 pm
Hill Harper as MLK would be brillant.
Taraji P. Henson or Sanaa Latham would be good for Corretta. Anika Noni Rose for Corretta
Trina
May 20th, 2009
1:24 pm
Idris Elba and Jasmine Guy
tisha
May 20th, 2009
1:25 pm
Angela Bassett and Courtney Vance
mike
May 20th, 2009
1:25 pm
Enter your comments here Dr King: Paul Winfield. Loretta King: S. Epartha Merkeson
Herb T
May 20th, 2009
1:30 pm
Denzel Washington & Angela Bassett
Dr. Phillip H. Barnhart
May 20th, 2009
1:31 pm
How about the fellow who ran the homeless shelter in “The Soloist” for ML? Casting a glamorous actress for Coretta would be a mistake.
Gil
May 20th, 2009
1:33 pm
Blair Underwood is a great possible choice as someone mentioned earlier.
Jamie Foxx..Another posibility. MAtin Lawrence? With some polishing and refinig? Maybe.
Angela Bassett as Coretta King would be almost perfect, though there are numerous other ladies who would fulfill that role.
Either way, both roles will be hard to fulfill.
Jacquie
May 20th, 2009
1:34 pm
Dexter King, of course! He looks just like his late father and he is an aspiring actor. In reality, Dexter could never be cast to play anyone else except MLK because he looks so much like him. He’d be the logical choice.
WhoaNellie
May 20th, 2009
1:35 pm
Jason Alexander_Raven Symone’
Bootzilla
May 20th, 2009
1:37 pm
Hands down, Jamie Foxx is the best person to play this role. Similar “eye” type, moustache type, has the mannerisms and voice down to a tee. Cast him now Stephen. MLK wasn’t that tall either..
juanj
May 20th, 2009
1:37 pm
MLK – Clifton Powell
Coretta – Sophie Okonedo (The secret life of bee’s)
They would be great for this roll.
Bootzilla
May 20th, 2009
1:38 pm
..And no female actor could bring the strenghth and nurturing to the role of Coretta like Angela Bassett would. Period.
Yas
May 20th, 2009
1:41 pm
Phylicia Rashad should play Coretta King
Fay Fay
May 20th, 2009
1:44 pm
Gordon Danniels, a local actor seen on a CNN commerical set in a barbershop, should play Dr. King!
Chris
May 20th, 2009
1:46 pm
I could see Terrence Howard as a good MLK
C'mon now...
May 20th, 2009
1:50 pm
jamie foxx and denzel can’t have all the roles!
kaos0302
May 20th, 2009
1:51 pm
Hill Harper as Martin and Angela Bassett as Coretta
Monica Cuba
May 20th, 2009
1:54 pm
How about Courtney Vance and Angela Bassett. Phylicia Rashaad and perhaps Cuba Gooding, Jr. (Jaimee Fox has already portrayed Ray Charles, let it remain at that)
Steve
May 20th, 2009
1:54 pm
Wayne Brady and Kimberly Elise
wolverine fan
May 20th, 2009
1:55 pm
Omar Epps…….
dianne
May 20th, 2009
2:01 pm
i think Dexter should play his father,Angela Basetta or lynn whitfieid,
plays coretta.
L. Rogers
May 20th, 2009
2:03 pm
Carmen Ejogo as Corretta Scott and Nate Parker or Rob Brown from Finding Forrester for MLK.
SC
May 20th, 2009
2:15 pm
Don Cheadle, as Martin and Sophie Okonedo, as Coretta
Allison
May 20th, 2009
2:57 pm
Lorenze Tate because he’s a shorty and his skin color is about the same as Martin’s. Perhaps Felicia Rashaad would be a good Older Corretta.
Allison
May 20th, 2009
3:01 pm
Isn’t Paul Winfield dead???
Oliver
May 20th, 2009
3:04 pm
I knew them both most of their adult lives and I don’t have a clue who would best suited play the of these two great americans. Have a contest, like American Idol or some other form of copetition to choose the actor and actress might be my suggestion.
Trypout
May 20th, 2009
3:58 pm
Idris Elba and Taraji P Henson