Notorious (2009)
Biography, Crime, Drama |
Notorious is a American biographical drama film directed by George Tillman Jr. about American rapper Christopher Wallace / The Notorious B.I.G., following his life and murder. The film stars Jamal Woolard as Wallace, alongside Angela Bassett, Derek Luke, and Anthony Mackie. Woolard reprised his role as Wallace in All Eyez on Me (2017).
The film opens at a party in Los Angeles on March 9, 1997. Just as The Notorious B.I.G. is about to be killed in a shooting, the film flashes back to Biggie’s childhood in Brooklyn, New York, where he lived during his childhood years as a hard-working school student before he begins dealing drugs. Christopher, now older, sells drugs at the height of the crack epidemic, hustling with his friends “D-Roc” and Lil’ Cease.
When his girlfriend, Jan Jackson, tells him that she is pregnant, he takes drug dealing more seriously so he can earn more money to support his growing family. Christopher eventually participates in a rap battle, where he wins, but his mother, Voletta Wallace, kicks him out of the house after finding drugs underneath his bed and also because of the fact letters were sent home about him not attending school.
Chris gets caught with guns and drugs, and he serves nine months in jail before being bailed out. Christopher meets Kim Jones, but Kim refuses to pursue a relationship with him due to her abusive past. After reconciling with his mother and visiting his newborn daughter, T’yanna, he records a demo under the name “Biggie Smalls”, which catches the attention of Puff, an ambitious record producer working for Uptown.
Director: George Tillman Jr.
Writers: Reggie Rock Bythewood, Cheo Hodari Coker
Stars: Jamal Woolard, Anthony Mackie, Derek Luke, Tupac Shakur, Faith Evans, Naturi Naughton, Christopher Jordan Wallace
►Cast:
| Jamal Woolard | … | Christopher ‘Biggie’ Wallace |
| Momo Dione | … | Record Executive at Party |
| Derek Luke | … | Sean ‘Puffy’ Combs |
| Dennis L.A. White | … | Damion |
| Marc John Jefferies | … | Cease |
| Menyone DeVeaux | … | Hot Girl #1 |
| Christopher Jordan Wallace | … | Biggie (Age 8-13) |
| Ricky Smith | … | Wally |
| Amanda Christopher | … | Keisha |
| Angela Bassett | … | Voletta Wallace |
| Jasper Briggs | … | Damion (Age 8-13) |
| Cyrus Farmer | … | Selwyn |
| David Costabile | … | Mr. Webber |
| Julia Pace Mitchell | … | Jan |
| Red Café | … | Primo (as Jermaine Denny) |
| Naquon ‘Nino Brown’ Jackson | … | Nino Brown |
| Naturi Naughton | … | Lil’ Kim |
| Aunjanue Ellis | … | Sandy |
| Jason Croasdaile | … | Security Thug |
| Valence Thomas | … | 50 Grand |
| Edwin Freeman | … | Mister Cee |
| Kevin Phillips | … | Mark |
| John Ventimiglia | … | Detective Farelli |
| Cimone Campbell | … | Cute Girl Assistant |
| Duane Nakia Cooper | … | Howard Emcee (as Duane Cooper) |
| Anthony Mackie | … | Tupac Shakur |
| Miya Granatella | … | Hot Lady (as Miya M. Granatella) |
| Charles Malik Whitfield | … | Wayne (as C. Malik Whitfield) |
| Susie Da Silva | … | Jessica |
| Antonique Smith | … | Faith |
| Sean Hall-Earl | … | Heavy Set Guy Fan |
| Jelani Mashariki | … | Rough Guy |
| Tony Mui | … | Asian Fan |
| Atalya Slater | … | Female Fan |
| John Hills | … | Justice of the Peace |
| Lamont ‘Money L’ Mosley | … | Money L |
| Ginger Kroll | … | Debbie |
| Hisham Tawfiq | … | Fatigue Guy |
| John Sierros | … | Cop (Quad Studios) (as I.N. Sierros) |
| Sean Ringgold | … | Suge Knight |
| Marco Best | … | ‘Person on the Street’ |
| Erskine Bonilla | … | ‘Person on the Street’ |
| KeShuna Jones | … | Person on the Street’ |
| Andre Roberson | … | ‘Person on the Street’ |
| Donté Kinsey | … | ‘Person on the Street’ |
| Adre’an Simms | … | ‘Person on the Street’ |
| Brandi Nicole Feemster | … | ‘Person on the Street’ |
| Corey Browne | … | ‘Person on the Street’ |
| Nina Daniels | … | ‘Person on the Street’ |
| Grant Hayes | … | ‘Person on the Street’ |
| Denae Innis | … | T’yanna |
| Brandon Bailey | … | Fan #1 |
| Taylor Dior | … | Tyanna Wallace – Age 2 |
| Cheryl Alessio | … | Dancer |
| Tyra Allen | … | Guest at Album Release Party |
| Joseph Basile | … | Neighborhood Thug |
| Hasan Bivings | … | Club Dancer |
| Michael Bostwick | … | Trife |
| Jonathan Gabriel Charles | … | Howard Student |
| Shawntay Dalon | … | Howard University Member |
| Rico Devereaux | … | Puffy’s Bodyguard #1 |
| Sarah Donnelly | … | Party Girl |
| Cartier DoSouto | … | Puerto Rican |
| Jason DarkChocolate Dyer | … | Money Man Driver |
| D.J. Enuff | … | Self |
| Landon G. Woodson | … | Biggie Entourage |
| Anwan Glover | … | Snoop Dogg |
| Fatimah Hassan | … | Faith’s Friend / Person on Street |
| Allen Holloway | … | Chico |
| Antoine Holmes Sr. | … | Bad Boy Entourage |
| Mike Hurt | … | Crackhead |
| Osas Ighodaro | … | Party Girl |
| Elvis Jaquez | … | Extra |
| Melissa Joseph | … | Fan Asking for Tupac for an Autograph |
| Alina Kaufman | … | Party Guest |
| Chris Kelley | … | Gangster |
| Langley Lamark | … | Hypeman |
| Ebony J Lewis | … | Source Awards Envelope Giver |
| Dee Martin | … | Fatigue Guy #2 |
| Monica Moore | … | VIP Guest at Party |
| Simone Moore | … | Person on the Street |
| Alan Mueting | … | Record Executive |
| Sharron Paul | … | Concertgoer |
| Richard Pryor | … | Self (archive footage) |
| Gordon Ramsey | … | Longhaired Sound Engineer |
| Jessica Rich | … | Party Girl |
| Ahmad Russ | … | Record Producer at Party |
| Craig Scribner | … | Fan |
| Harry L. Seddon | … | Jail Guard Walking Biggie |
| Usman Sharif | … | Guy #1 |
| Jessica Noel Smith | … | Glam Girl |
| Lisa Stansbury | … | Concert Fan |
| Jen Steele | … | Groupie |
| Karl Thwaites | … | Concert Audience Member |
| Norman Wakefield | … | Suge Knight Crew |
| Laurie Walker | … | Dancer |
| Derrick Williams | … | Hit Team Record Producer |
Sources: imdb & wikipedia
