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Cynthia Erivo Joins SNOOP Biopic as Tupac Shakur’s Mother

The WICKED star will portray Tupac Shakur's mother in the upcoming film about Snoop Dogg, directed by Craig Brewer.

By KazooWatch Newsroom
Editor, KazooWatch

Published November 6, 2026 · 4:20 PM EST

Cynthia Erivo has joined Universal Pictures’ upcoming Snoop Dogg biopic, taking on the role of Afeni Shakur, the mother of rapper Tupac Shakur.

The casting was reported November 4 by The Hollywood Reporter and confirmed in subsequent coverage by TheWrap and Variety.

Afeni Shakur was a political activist and former member of the Black Panther Party whose influence on her son’s life and music remains an important part of hip-hop history.

The film, titled SNOOP, stars Jonathan Daviss in the title role, with Camron Jones portraying Tupac and Myles Bullock playing Dr. Dre.

Craig Brewer, known for HUSTLE & FLOW, is directing from his rewrite of Joe Robert Cole’s screenplay.

Left: a man in a tuxedo and bow tie standing in front of a graffiti-covered wall; center: a large painted blue face on the wall; right: a close-up portrait of a woman with short hair and a septum ring; foreground: a small fan of US dollar bills. — A composite image juxtaposes a formally dressed man and a close-up female portrait with a large painted face on a wall behind them and a small fan of dollar bills in the foreground, suggesting a contrast between public image, art and money.

Snoop Dogg is producing alongside Brian Grazer, Allan Mandelbaum and Sara Ramaker.

The project is scheduled to reach theaters August 6, 2027.

Erivo’s addition broadens the film’s depiction of the people surrounding Snoop Dogg’s rise, rather than concentrating exclusively on the performer himself.

Sources: TheWrap (2026-11-04) · Variety (2026-11-05)

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KazooWatch Newsroom

Editor, KazooWatch

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