*Marvin Gaye’s ex-wife is reportedly urging Jesse L. Martin to follow in Lenny Kravitz’s footsteps by quitting an upcoming movie about her late husband.
Janis Hunter, who was married to the singer from 1977 to 1981, is said to be furious about plans to document Gaye’s life in a new biopic called “Sexual Healing,” which will be directed by British filmmaker Julien Temple.
Kravitz recently quit the lead role and was replaced by the former “Law & Order” star, who had previously been attached to the project in its early stages. Now, Hunter wants Martin to also walk away.
RELATED: Marvin Gaye Story Hits the Stage … In Spite of Ish from ‘The Other Side’
“Ultimately, I think it was Lenny’s heart and soul and conscience that caused him to step away,” she tells the New York Daily News. “Hopefully, that touches Jesse in the same way.”
Hunter is also angry about a play called “My Brother Marvin,” based on the book of the same name by the singer’s sister Zeola Gaye, which is currently touring the U.S.
She adds, “I don’t think Marvin is a very happy spirit right now. This is the last thing he would want to have happen…
“I haven’t read the script (of the play), but it’s supposed to be based on (Zeola Gaye’s) book and I did read the book from cover to cover, and it was very difficult to read.”
Marvin Gaye was shot dead by his father during an altercation in 1984.
Could someone please explain to me why she is so unhappy about this project?
I don’t know why she would even be concerned, unless, she’s looking for a pay day..
didn’t she go on to remarry? That chapter of her life is closed not once but twice even if she had kids with Marvin and especially..when divorced from Marvin and she went on to remarry BEFORE Marvin’s murder @ the hands of his father..
She has no creative control or stand to get paid. They were legally divorced at the time of his death. Second wives and jumpoffs kill me during times like this.
Marvin Gaye was a very complex person and icon whose story should be told. Both Lenny and Jesse would be great at playing that part. Sounds like Janis is jealous that she didn’t think of this first. I’m sure that she was an excellent gold digger when they were married. This is not about her!
Could someone explain what is the reason why Ms. Janis Hunter is so against Mr. Gaye story being told. Are there lies in his sister’s book? No one has said that there are. Get over it Ms. Hunter. I’m looking forward to this movie. I think Jesse is a better fit for this part even though I greatly appreciate Mr Kravitz’s work.
Jesse is a good choice, until she can be more specific about her feelings on the of lead actors other than: Marvin’s “spirit”, she needs to sit her ass down somewhere. And honestly, what lead Lenny away from the flick was that bad @y—–@ !! ..that eye dropping on scripts across the room, reading up other folks lines all willy-nilly!! LoL
shes trippin cause there is nothing in it for her
What really bothers me is how we as blacks have such a rich musical legacy and greed simply just allows it to be held hostage and now we’re subjected to music today which is TOTAL garbage…Janice was nothing more than a druggie and its like who wouldn’t want the world to know Marvin’s music and his legacy…just stupid…even if his story doesn’t make it to the big screen, we can still purchase it..just like Sam Cooke. His wife should have been stoned to damn near give it away to those Jews…
@Stephanie reach for a higher level of thinking it was not the “Jews” it was Caucasians (whit to you) speak what you know not what you think or heard. Remember in life, “believe none of what you read and half of what you hear. READ, RESEARCH, then RESPOND.
Black entertainers during the 40′s-80′s were not legal savvy nor their spouses; however, greedy people offered Blacks more money than they knew existed. Look around you, Black are still selling their birth-rite.
Jan!! Go sit yo ass down somewhere!! Marvin is a an unhappy spirit right now, she says. Hell..he was that before he died,and if Im not mistaken you had a hand in that!! His unhappy spirit is the exact reason his millions of fans want to see his story come alive. He was a genius…and his tragedies came through his music. Let the story be made and told. He is deserving of that…
I don’t think Janis is making these statements for simply money purposes. If that was the case, she would’ve been raising hell for years regarding getting paid royalties and so forth. Its more than usual ‘money’ situation.
I think it’s more about perserving a legacy. The problem that I have with a film like this is that it focuses on the last years of Marvin’s life. It’s pretty well known that he was depressed and using more drugs during the last years of his life. Marvin’s professional career was much more than the last 2 or 3 years of his life. I am betting that the producers could not obtain the rights to Marvin’s motown music because BG probably blocked them. Never mind how Janis is going to be portrayed in the movie but the concern is how BG will be portrayed on film. It’s the same with play, though, I think Zeola is exploiting the situation to make money for herself. Smokey Robinson was pissed off at the Dreamgirls portrayal of a BG-like character in the movie. So imagine an artist that worked for him and how their relationship will be portrayed on film. It’s not a secret that Marvin and BG didn’t have the best relationship. Some of these bio music films get caught up more in sensationalism than the art of the artist. Janis has been saying for years that she was not happy about a movie being made. Nothing new about this.
I feel brotha Marvin’s music is his legacy. What tops that, I don’t know. The man was a pure genius and he was probably surrounded by money grubbers. that’s true for all famous people, tell you the truth. Everybody’s out to make a buck off something or somebody. I bet bro Marvin is resting fine now that he’s out of this rat race. RIP!
Stephanie, I don’t think its fair to say that Janis was nothing more than a druggie. If anything, it was Marvin who got her into drugs. She was a barely teenage when Marvin pursued her. That’s not her fault. I agree that we do have a rich musical heritage but it’s also important to protect it. If Janis was a greedy person, she would have written a book and done a movie years ago. Marvin’s first wife, Anna, is senile yet I am sure that her brother Berry made sure that she is being well taken care of, some from the royalties off of Marvin’s music.
I read Janis has an autobiography being released this year so perhaps she’d believes these other projects might steal her thunder. I do think she’s interested in preserving Marvin’s legacy and might not wish to have certain sordid details exposed in productions she has no control over.
Melody, that’s the issue that I have. I don’t think that everything a star has done in private is made for public consumption. There should be an equal balance between the music and their personal lives but filmmakers are more interested in making an entertainer’s life more salacious than it needs to be. Marvin came across to me as an astute, sensitive and intelligent person from what I have read about him despite his follibles (which we all have). It would be a big disappointment to not see this reflected alongside his demons. I think that is what Janis is afraid of.
I agree, NYCsoul. The salacious and gritty aspects towards the end of his life shouldn’t completely define him.
Nothing can take away from Marvin’s musical genius and legacy. So it makes no difference who plays him in the movie as long as they are believable. Everybody has a perspective. I for one am glad that his movie is finally coming out. I don’t know why we seen anything in all these years….. that I can recall. I can’t wait to see Brotha Jesse’s portrayal. He should be good.
Why does anyone care what an EX-WIFE has to say? It is the call of the family not hers. This EX was only married for 4-years so what is her concern? She was not a vital part of his life prior to his death Marvin was living with his parents not her.