Rita Marley Produces Biopic On Late Husband

Rita Marley, widow of reggae icon Bob Marley, is the executive producer of the first biopic of her late husband and Lauryn Hill might play her onscreen.

The Weinstein Company acquired the rights to develop, produce and distribute the movie about the Jamaican singer, which will be a version of Rita’s autobiography from 2004, "No Woman No Cry: My Life With Bob Marley." The book is a chronicle of Bob’s childhood and their 15 years of marriage through his death from cancer in 1981.

Rita said: "Lauryn would be ideal (to play me). She sees my life as her life," Reuters reports.

Rohan, Bob’s son with Janet Hunt, is married to former Fugees singer, Lauryn Hill, who had a solo Grammy-winning album in 1998 "The Miseducation of Lauren Hill."

The script is an adaptation written by Lizzie Borden ("Working Girls").

With producer Rudy Langlais ("The Hurricane") on board the movie will start shooting early next year with a scheduled late release in 2009.

According to Langlais, the film will be an "epic romance" about Marley’ life and the assassination attempt on the couple.

Langlasi said that it’s a miracle Rita survived the shot in the head.

Marley had 13 children, some of them from extramarital affairs.

A part of the film will be shot in Jamaica. The film might come out before Martin Scorsese’s documentary on the reggae singer, which is scheduled to appear on Marley's 65th birthday, February 6, 2010.

Bob Marley will be interpreted by two actors, one playing him at the age 15 and another as an adult. It is still unclear if the songs will be kept in original or it will be a blend of the two.

According to Rita, Stefan her grandson is “the spitting image” of Bob and he would be perfect for the role.

She plans to be on the set everyday.

She said: “Every inch of me is in there and I don't want a fairy tale or Cinderella story.”