After his breakout performance as Jackie Robinson in 42, Chadwick Boseman initially wasn’t interested in reading the script for director Tate Taylor’s James Brown biopic Get On Up. Boseman figured the last thing he should do was another biopic about a cultural icon. On top of that, regardless of his already having played Jackie Robinson, the idea of anyone playing James Brown seemed just about impossible to him. “James Brown was ahead of his time, and we still haven’t caught up with him,” Boseman says. “He lived the life of a thousand people in one lifetime.”
Still, he talked to Taylor. “I had a very candid conversation with Tate and saw how passionate he was about the story, and that he wanted to do something different with it,” says the actor. “He was basically telling me to stop being scared and come in and read. So finally, I went in and did the scenes. I thought nothing would come of it.” Yet, Brown remind on his mind. “I wanted to see what it would look like to have the wigs on because I knew there would be a lot of that in the role,” the performer shares. “And dancing. I had to know I could work with the choreographer, and what methodology would inform his teaching.”
The production hired choreographer Aakomon Jones to work with Boseman in advance of his screen test. After Jones taught him “Cold Sweat” and “I Can’t Stand Myself (When You Touch Me)” and wig consultant Robert Stevenson endowed him with a pompadour, the camera rolled. “I still had to do a lot of soul-searching because I knew it would be such a big deal,” Boseman says. “But I like a challenge. And with the people involved, including Aakomon and Robert, I thought we had a good chance of doing something special.”
Boseman also had that certain “something” that Taylor hoped to find in the actor who would play Brown. Specifically, he was looking for someone with Southern country roots. Luckily, Boseman had those roots and much more, including a deep work ethic.
“Chad just brings it,” lauds Taylor. “He’s from the red earth of South Carolina, right down the road from where James Brown was born, and that’s exactly what this character needs. You can’t just put a pompadour wig on a well-trained actor who happens to be African-American. It’s an intimidating role.” Taylor adds, “The dialect, the range of ages, the performance sequences. It’s a lot to take on.”
“It’s an intimidating role,” Taylor continues. “The dialect, the range of ages, the performance sequences. It’s a lot to take on. I don’t know how he did it, but Chad showed up in Mississippi and he was James Brown. Playing age 17 one day, and 60 the next, he was in it!”
Get On Up is available starting Jan. 6 on Video On Demand. Check your cable system for availability.
© Universal Pictures. Credit: D. Stevens
