Ice Cube explains Eazy-E casting decision for N.W.A. biopic

Rapper/actor Ice Cube has opened up about his controversial decision not to cast the late Eazy-E’s son as the hip-hop icon in his forthcoming N.W.A. biopic, insisting the role required an experienced actor with “a lot of range”. Eazy-E’s son, Eric Wright, Jr., auditioned for the Straight Outta Compton film job and recently admitted he was disappointed after movie bosses decided to cast newcomer Jason Mitchell as the younger version of his tragic father.
Now Ice Cube, who is serving as one of the project’s producers, has explained the reasons behind the decision, insisting aspiring actor Wright, Jr. simply wasn’t a good fit.
Speaking to Colorado radio station KS 107.5, Ice Cube says, “He (Wright, Jr.) is an up-and-coming actor trying to do it, but we needed somebody who was a little more polished to play Eazy, because he goes through a lot in his life. He goes from selling dope in Compton to fighting for his life in a hospital bed. So we needed to find an actor with a lot of range. And we just couldn’t use just anybody. We gave him (Wright, Jr.) a shot, and it just didn’t work out.”
Wright, Jr. wasn’t the only N.W.A. offspring snubbed for a role in the film – Dr. Dre’s aspiring actor/rapper son Curtis Young was also passed over in favour of Corey Hawkins, although Ice Cube’s kid, O’Shea Jackson, Jr., will play his dad onscreen.
Meanwhile, the remaining N.W.A. bandmates MC Ren and DJ Yella will be played by Aldis Hodge and Neil Brown, Jr., respectively.
F. Gary Gray will direct the film about the rise of the iconic California rap group and their split in 1991.
The biopic is scheduled for release next summer (15).