John Legend Cast As Harry Belafonte In New Movie About Paul Simon’s Graceland Era

When was the last time that you listened to Paul Simon's Graceland? I revisited it pretty recently, and god, what an album. Just an incredible collection of songs. Graceland was a critical and commercial smash when it came out in 1986. But at the time of its release, the record also existed within a thorny landscape of racial politics. Simon was inspired by the township music of apartheid-era South Africa, and re recorded it partially in South Africa, with the help of a number of South African musicians. Before making his trip, though, Simon did not consult with the leaders of the anti-apartheid movement, some of whom led a boycott of Simon in response. That's the story of an upcoming movie from the Oscar-winning Chicago and Dreamgirls director Bill Condon.According to Variety, Johnny Flynn, a British actor and musician who was actually born in apartheid-era South Africa, will play Paul Simon in Condon's upcoming film The Road Home. But Simon won't be the main character, and the movie isn't about the making of the album. John Legend, the guy smiling at you from the top of this blog post, is in the film as the great entertainer and civil rights leader Harry Belafonte, but he's not t...