Mobile UPI  |   About UPI  |   UPI en Español  |   UPI Arabic  |   UPIU  |   My Account
Search:
Go

Actor to take rap-themed novel to screen

Veteran Hollywood actor Blair Underwood announced he is taking a rap-themed novel to the big screen and will play the lead.
|
|
 
  
Published: Aug. 23, 2007 at 6:57 PM

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 23 (UPI) -- Veteran Hollywood actor Blair Underwood announced he is taking a rap-themed novel to the big screen and will play the lead.

The novel, "Casanegra: A Tennyson Hardwick Mystery," released last month, centers on Tennyson Hardwick, a gigolo-turned-actor and prime suspect in the murder of a rapper-actress. In the book, Hardwick attempts to clear his name, but must contend with, among other things, corruption and rap rivals.

Husband-and-wife co-authors Steven Barnes and Tananarive Due are writing the series of novels with Underwood, AllHipHop.com reported Thursday. Each novel will play off of a classic movie.

"One of the things we talked about right away was spinning this into a movie," Underwood said.

The title "Casanegra" was inspired by the Humphrey Bogart-Ingrid Bergman classic, "Casablanca," Due said.

"In the movie 'Casablanca,' the song says, 'A kiss is just a kiss,'" Due said, referring to the standard "As Time Goes By." "But as we say at 'Casanegra,' a kiss not just a kiss and sex is not just sex. There has never been a character like Tennyson Hardwick on the silver screen."

A release date was not announced.

Topics: Blair Underwood, Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman
© 2007 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, republication, redistribution and/or modification of any UPI content is expressly prohibited without UPI's prior written consent.

Order reprints
  
Join the conversation
Most Popular Collections
Protesters, police clash at NATO summit Notable deaths of 2012 2012 Billboard Music Awards
The 137th Preakness Stakes Annual Solar eclipse occurs in U.S. Chen Guangcheng arrives in the U.S.
Additional Entertainment News Stories
1 of 29
Members of the Army's Old Guard place flags at Arlington National Ceremtery
View Caption
U.S. flags are seen in the rucksack of a soldier with the Army's 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment, The Old Guard, as he places flags at gravesites in Arlington National Cemetery as part of the Flags-In Memorial Day ceremony on May 24, 2012 in Arlington, Virginia. American flags were placed at each of the more than 220,000 grave markers in honor of those who served and Memorial Day. UPI/Kevin Dietshc
fark
Jail in South Carolina to allow alcohol, but only if you believe in Jesus
Arizona spends $125 million per year on 13,000 K-12 students who don't exist. Can I haz Arizona...
You'd probably squawk, too, if some government busybody named your kids "Archie" and "Juliette"
Fugitive penguin recaptured miles from zoo after awkward stand off
SeaWorld's new Manta Rollercoaster stalled on its second day of operation; SeaWorld said not to...
For first time in 14 years, ugly assed baby meerkat born at Tulsa zoo. w/vid