Actor Dwayne Johnson (aka “The Rock”) has been named to produce and star in the title role of the Charley Pride biopic, according to Variety. Pride revealed this information during an April 28 interview with the New Brunswick Telegraph Journal. Johnson’s previous acting credits include The Scorpion King and Get Smart. He is currently starring in action flick Fast Five.
Originally Terrence Howard had been slated to play the Country Music Hall of Famer with Craig Brewer (Hustle & Flow, Black Snake Moan) directing. Due to other commitments, the project was shelved for a period but is now back in development. A new director has not yet been named. Also producing are Dany Garcia, Randy Jackson and Pride’s manager John Daines.
There is no word yet on a planned release date.
Pride was born in Mississippi to a sharecropping family and played minor league baseball for several years before setting his sights on country music. He was signed to RCA by Chet Atkins, where the success of his singles made him one of the label’s top-selling artist after Elvis Presley. He has recorded 36 No. 1s and sold over 70 million albums. His single “Kiss An Angel Good Morning” was a crossover hit, selling over a million copies and helping Pride win the CMA’s Entertainer of the Year award in 1971. Pride joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1993 and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2000.
