Chiwetel Ejiofor credits Mary J. Blige for her unwavering dedication to his film “Rob Peace,” which faced delays due to the pandemic.
When the film, portraying the true story of Yale alum Robert Peace who resorted to drug dealing to aid his father’s legal woes, was stalled in 2020, Blige stood by the project.
At that time, Mary J. Blige was one of the few cast members and remained committed for two years until filming resumed.
In discussing with Variety, Ejiofor emphasized Blige’s role as Jackie Peace, Robert’s mother, as vital to reviving the project.
“At the end of that process it was all about trying to piece back together whatever you were talking about two years earlier, and time had moved on and a lot of projects just went away,” he said.
“It needed people like Mary J who were just completely committed to the film, so as soon as we were trying to pull it back together she was right back in the mix, saying she loved the project and was still here for it. And it really helped galvanize all those energies. So I really credit Mary J for sticking with the film all through that period and being brilliant in the film, holding this really passionate center of the story and carrying it with such authenticity,” Ejiofor added.
Ejiofor’s new directorial piece, adapted from Jeff Hobbs’s book “The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace,” also features Ejiofor himself as Robert’s father, Skeet.
Despite her primary recognition as a musician, Mary J. Blige has showcased her acting skills in movies like “Respect,” “Mudbound,” and “Rock of Ages.”
