Ziggy Marley Responds to Criticism Surrounding Bob Marley’s Biopic and His Relationship with His Brothers – Interview

As Bob Marley: One Love continues to draw criticism from some Jamaicans, Ziggy Marley has responded to the backlash surrounding the film and his relationship with his brothers.

Bob Marley: One Love was released on Valentine’s Day and is currently one of the top-performing biopics in the US. While the film has garnered high reviews from audiences both internationally and locally, some Jamaicans have dismissed the movie as a poor adaptation of Marley’s story.

One criticism that continues to plague the movie is the casting of British actor Kingsley Ben-Adir in the lead role. A choice some people say makes the movie inauthentic as he is not Jamaican and a role they think was best suited for one of the Marley brothers.

Amid the criticism, there have even been rumours that the movie has caused a rift between the brothers. Speaking on IRIE FM’s EBUZZ, Ziggy dismissed the notion that all is not well with him and his brothers and shared that they speak every day.

Ziggy added that they are a family and do not play that sort of game. It was highlighted in the interview that a majority of the film takes place before 1978, the same year Damian Marley was born, thus his exclusion from the film. 

It should be noted that Ky-Mani Marley attended the Jamaican premiere of the film, while Rohan Marley attended the UK premiere. According to Ziggy, Damian and Stephen are currently on tour.

Further discussing the criticism surrounding the film, Ziggy noted that there have been both good and bad reviews. However, Ziggy said that, for the most part, the feedback has been positive.

He also expressed that he is not willing to argue with someone over their point of view.

“Mi is a man weh love people. Mi love everyone, even when yuh talk negative. Mi nah fight nobody. Mi nuh come fi fight people,” Ziggy stated.

Ziggy went on to state that he is open to criticism.

“Some a dem might a tell di truth to. A likkle truth inna di ting weh dem a critique. A nuh nutting. Mi nuh mine because yuh can have constructive criticism,” Ziggy said.