Method Man, Mike Epps and Da’Vine Joy Randolph have joined the cast of On the Come Up, Paramount Players’ adaptation of the best-seller by Angie Thomas.
The movie is now in production with Jamila C. Gray starring. Sanaa Lathan is directing and co-starring.
The coming-of-age movie centers on 16-year-old Bri, who wants to be one of the greatest rappers of all time. But it’s hard for her to even win her first rap battle when she’s labeled a hoodlum at school, when one of her songs becomes an internet sensation by causing a controversy, and when her mom loses her job and the family is facing eviction.
Kay Oyegun wrote the script adapting the book, which is set in the same story universe as Thomas’ breakout, The Hate U Give.
Also on the call sheet are Lil Yachty, GaTa (aka Davionte Ganter), Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Titus Makin Jr. and Michael Anthony Cooper Jr.
Character details for the three new additions were not revealed.
Temple Hill, State Street and Thomas are producing.
Method Man, whose real name is Cliff Smith, knows a thing or two about the rap world, being a member of famed Wu-Tang Clan and duo Method Mad and Redman. He also won a Grammy for best rap performance in the 1990s. The crossover star can currently be seen on Starz’s Power Book II: Ghost. He is repped by CAA, manager Shauna Garr and Frankfurt Kurnit.
Epps currently stars on Netflix comedy The Upshaws and will portray comedian Richard Pryor in HBO’s L.A. Lakers limited series. He is repped by UTA, managers Niles Kirchner and Dan Spilo, and attorney Todd Rubenstein.
Randolph is the Broadway singer who appeared in Dolemite Is My Name and in Hulu sensation Only Murders in the Building. She is repped by Paradigm and Lighthouse Entertainment.
