André Benjamin embodies Jimi Hendrix in trailer for Jimi: All Is By My Side
The first trailer for Jimi: All Is By My Side has finally arrived, and it’s pretty fantastic seeing André Benjamin digging into the role of iconic musician Jimi Hendrix. Benjamin doesn’t get a lot of credit for his acting, as he’s mostly recognized for being half of the hip-hop duo Outkast, but many of his performances have been really solid (Four Brothers, Revolver, Battle in Seattle). That said, Jimi: All Is By My Side looks like a chance for him to let loose a little and embody the music and possibly one of the musicians who helped influenced his own style.
Regardless of all that, Jimi: All Is By My Side should be a strong biopic worth checking out. Watch the first trailer for the film after the jump.
Admittedly, I was born a little after Hendrix’s time, so I didn’t listen to a lot of his music growing up and I don’t have as much of an emotional tie to the tunes and the era that some fans most likely will. For me, Benjamin looks good and sounds pretty great in the role, but we’ll have to wait until the movie comes out to see what people think.
Here’s a plot synopsis for Jimi: All Is By My Side:
OutKast’s André Benjamin stars as Jimi Hendrix in this revealing biopic from Academy Award-winning writer-director John Ridley (12 Years A Slave). Covering a year in Hendrix’s life from 1966-67 as an unknown backup guitarist playing New York’s Cheetah Club to making his mark in London’s music scene up until his Monterey Pop triumph, the film presents an intimate portrait of the sensitive young musician on the verge of becoming a rock legend.
Jimi: All Is By My Side is scheduled to hit theaters September 26, 2014 and stars André Benjamin, Imogen Poots, Hayley Atwell, Burn Gorman, and Ruth Negga.