Cynthia Erivo joined the cast of SpyUniversal Pictures biopic about entertainment mogul and music icon Snoop Dogg.
The Tony, Grammy and Emmy winner, who is also a three-time Academy Award nominee, is on a call list that includes Jonathan Daviss, Myles Bullock Be, Lauren London, Camron Jones, Algee Smith, Tre Hale, Laya DeLeon Hayes, Olly Sholotan, Corey Champagne, Jonica Booth and SwayvoTwain in the feature film currently in production in Southern California.
Craig Brewer is directing the feature, which is produced by Imagine Entertainment’s Brian Grazer, the veteran producer behind Eminem’s semi-autobiographical drama. 8 milesand Allan Mandelbaum of the company. Snoop Dogg and Death Row Pictures president Sara Ramaker are also producing.
Daviss, one of the stars of the Netflix series Outer Banksstars as Snoop Dogg, who emerged from Long Beach, California, in the 1990s to become one of the biggest names in rap.
Jones, best known for his work on Amazon Prime’s young adult drama Panicplays the role of influential but troubled rapper Tupac Shakur.
In a key role, Erivo will play Shakur’s mother, Afeni Shakur, a former Black Panther activist who had a strained relationship with her son and was the subject of his top 10 hit “Dear Mama.”
Brewer, who recently directed Song sung in blue for Universal’s Focus Features studio, wrote the final draft of the screenplay, originally written by Joe Robert Cole. The feature will incorporate music from Snoop Dogg’s extensive catalog.
Erivo is a well-known figure at Universal, having starred in the studio’s hit two-part film Wicked movies. Her performance as Elphaba in the first film earned her Golden Globe, SAG, Critics’ Choice, NAACP, BAFTA, and Academy Award nominations.
Next, the actress stars in the film adaptation of the Broadway sensation At first glancewhich she also produced under her Edith’s Daughter banner. The film recently premiered at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival and will be released in UK and Irish cinemas on November 13.
She is also one of the stars of Paramount’s Children of Blood and Bonewhich features an ensemble cast including Viola Davis, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Idris Elba, Amandla Stenberg, Damson Idris, Regina King and Lashana Lynch. YA fantasy film hits theaters January 15, 2027
Erivo is repped by UTA, Entertainment 360 and Peikoff Mahan.
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