Cynthia Erivo to Play Tupac Shakur’s Mother in Snoop Dogg Biopic

Tony, Grammy, and Emmy winner Cynthia Erivo has joined the cast of Universal’s upcoming Snoop Dogg biopic and is set to portray Tupac’s mother, Afeni Shakur.

Jonathan Daviss stars in “Snoop,” which is described as the “definitive biopic of the entertainment mogul and icon,” Snoop Dogg. Erivo adds to the film’s starry ensemble, which also features Myles Bullock Be (as Dr. Dre), Lauren London (Snoop’s late mother, Beverly Tate), Camron Jones (Tupac Shakur), Algee Smith (Warren G), Tre Hale (Suge Knight), Laya DeLeon Hayes (Snoop’s wife, Shante Broadus), Olly Sholotan (Kurupt), Corey Champagne (Nate Dogg) and Jonica Booth (The Lady of Rage).

Afeni Shakur — the late mother of rapper Tupac was a prominent member of the Black Panther Party.

Born in North Carolina as Alice Faye Williams in 1947, Afeni Shakur moved to the Bronx with her mother as an 11-year-old. She joined the Panthers after hearing Bobby Seale speak in 1968, and married fellow Black Panther member Lumumba Shakur soon after.

Craig Brewer (“Hustle and Flow,” “Song Sung Blue”) is directing “Snoop,” which Universal dated for theatrical release on Aug. 6, 2027, based on his rewrite of Joe Robert Cole’s (“Black Panther, “”Wakanda Forever”) original script.

Snoop Dogg is producing “Snoop,” which will incorporate music from his vast catalog, alongside Imagine Entertainment’s Brian Grazer (“8 Mile”) and Allan Mandelbaum and Death Row Pictures president Sara Ramaker. “Snoop” is the first project under Death Row Pictures’ overall deal with NBCUniversal Entertainment & Studios. Senior VP of production development Ryan Jones and director of development Tony Ducret will oversee the project for the studio.

The news was first reported by The Hollywood Reporter.