There’s no one who can truly step into the master of funk’s shoes, but when it comes to doing him justice on the silver screen, we can think of a fair few actors who might make George Clinton proud. If you don’t know who George Clinton is then your music education is sadly lacking in any recent historical context at all. George Clinton and the P-Funk All-Stars in every iteration are a formidable force of nature that has been changing and expanding music history since the ’70s with their sci-fi inspired look and wild yet smooth sound.
1. Donald Glover
Number one on our list has earned his place through the sheer power of his talent and his oddball nature. First and foremost, he can sing, and not just ‘passably,’ but outstandingly. As an actor, singer, and producer he’s got a bit of George Clinton in him. Moreover, his castmates have mentioned his philosophical nature and the fact that he makes them think about things they hadn’t considered before. Honestly, if there’s anyone we’d want to see try and take on the wild spirit and true-to-yourself and your song role of George Clinton, we can’t think of anyone who’d do a better job. Donald loves music, and he is already a part of African American Cultural history in his own right with some of his project like Atlanta. If there’s any actor who more closely fits the psychedelic shoe of George we can’t think of who it might be. In fact, we’d pay good money to see the premiere of any film where Donald Glover was playing such an ingenious and vital role.
2. Will Smith
With his sense of rhythm and self, Will Smith is a fantastic choice for the role of many musicians. He’d do well as George Clinton. That puts him up on the list for us. We know he generally takes on more stoic and tortured roles than the master of funk, but he’s got the music in him, and we think he might tackle the harder aspects of George Clinton’s life well. Being a P-Funk All-Star wasn’t always easy. After all, George spent years in court just sorting out his four labels and three groups. That can’t have been easy. We weren’t there, but he must have had his low points, and no one plays down on your luck but willing to rise up again like Will Smith.
3. Titus Burgess
He may seem like an odd choice, but Titus has that funky soul that any George Clinton needs. Moreover, he has style and flair many other actors for the role can’t keep up with. If you’ve heard him sing then you know, he can hit any note, so fitting in with George’s fantastic music is well within his wheelhouse. The level of over the top personality Titus flaunts so openly could work as Clinton on-screen and Titus has more than just vocal range. He’s a talented actor with Titus may be better known for playing the flamboyant Titus Andromedon and his overdramatic silliness, but we think he can translate that as well into George Clinton as he can translate his voice from the ion King to Madame Butterfly. We think he’d look spectacular in sci-fi funk wear and rock it like no other, except George Clinton himself. Moreover, Georgia, where Titus was born and North Carolina where George was born aren’t that far apart culturally or physically. Titus is the sort of person who could draw on that connection and create himself anew in a fully-fledged role as George Clinton.
4. Elijah Kelley
You might recognize Elijah Kelley from the Hairspray reboot or 28 Days. That’s not the only singing and acting he’s done. Among other projects, he voiced Sunny in the beautifully animated film Strange Magic and played Tunde in the feature film Boys of Abu Gharib. However you slice it, Elijah is incredibly talented both as a singer and an actor. Looking at his body of work is all you need to understand his range. From cartoony and over the top, to heartfelt true-to-life stories, he can tell them all with his talent. Moreover, he’s very down-to-earth. In fact, his parents moved to L.A. with him after he graduated high school to help keep him grounded. That may seem contrary to playing George Clinton as a character, but we think he’d do an outstanding job musically. Additionally, he seems like the sort of actor who could bring some serious heart to the screen and show George as a multidimensional and relatable person. As wild as George Clinton is, he also has a very laid back, almost zen vibe at times and Elijah’s centered personality gels with that exceptionally well.
5. Laurence Fishburne
Laurence may seem like the strangest choice on our list, but he’s probably the most accomplished actor on our list. His body of work is massive. You might even say Lawrence has the most in common with George because of his stage experience. Much like George, Laurence is comfortable on a stage, though for a slightly different reason. Lawrence isn’t just a screen actor; he does live theater as well, which is a very different style than a show or movie where you get multiple takes. Additionally, Laurence is the only actor on this list who has various music video credits, not unlike George. Perhaps you’re wondering why we’d choose a non-singer for the role of a singer. It’s been done in the past, but in this case, you’d be mistaken. Laurence Fishburne can sing. In 1993 he was in the film What’s Love Got to do With It playing Ike Turner opposite Angela Bassett. Initially, he passed on the role at least five times, but when he learned that Angela would be playing Tina Turner, he not only took the part but also sang all of Ike’s music in the film. With his depth of range and ability to sing, Lawrence could easily be our first choice instead of our fifth.
Final Thoughts
Now that we’ve considered the matter for a while, we’re hoping that someone proposes a George Clinton autobiographical film. We’d love to see the rise of funk from his perspective, and with so many awesome singing actors to choose from, it’s not hard to see how such a film could be stellar. Who would you cast in the Funkmaster General’s shoes if you had to choose? Let us know in the comments below.
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