The cast and crew of Graeme Smith biopic, ‘Biff: The Movie,’ have begun filming in Cape Town. Production is expected to last two months, before the final scenes are shot in Zimbabwe.
The movie will be directed by South African filmmaker and Oscar-nominee, Neill Blomkamp. The District 9 director believes the film is necessary, despite recent public outcry. “Obviously we were expecting a certain amount of criticism, given the script that was already on the table about Jonty Rhodes.”
Blomkamp was quick to point out the SA test captain’s various achievements on the pitch, both locally and internationally, “look, Come Dive With Me was an amazing script, but you can’t ignore Biff’s 100 tests as captain. The guy is a fucking machine.”
Blomkamp directed the Oscar-nominated film,
District 9
Born and raised in Johannesburg to parents Graham and Janet, Smith was educated at King Edward VII School (KES). After representing South Africa at under-19 level, Smith went on to become one of the most prolific cricket captains the world has ever seen, including claiming the record for the fastest player to reach 1,000 runs.
Centred around the historic 2008 Australian test series, where he captained a side that beat Australia on their soil, in the course inflicting the first home defeat on the opponents in 16 years, the movie is expected to hit the box office for a six.
Hollywood star, Ryan Reynolds was originally tipped for the lead role, having spent time with the all-rounder in South Africa, when he filmed ‘Safe House’ alongside Denzel Washington. But in the end the role went to South African actor, Ken Weyers, who met Blomkamp during his time at New York’s ‘Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute,’ where he studied method acting.”
“Besides Ken’s uncanny resemblance to Graeme and the fact that he’s left handed, Ryan never managed to get the accent right and to be honest, couldn’t catch a single ball during casting,” chuckled Blomkamp.
Graeme Smith meets Ken Weyers, who will be playing the sports star
in the upcoming biopic, Biff: The Movie
Ken Weyers is virtually unknown in South Arica, although audiences will remember his uncle Marius Weyers role as Andrew Steyn, the bumbling scientist in the SA 1980’s film hit, ‘The God’s Must Be Crazy.’
“It is a great honour to play the role of our nation’s greatest sports icon. I have so much respect for Biff, as do the whole crew. He was so awesome when he visited this week,” said Weyers, who is marginally shorter than Smith. Reports confirm that Smith bowled everyone over when he stopped by the set in Newlands to play a round of French cricket with the cast and crew on Wednesday.
Local TV star and socialite, Jeannie D, is rumored to be playing Smith’s love interest, Irish singer/songwriter, Morgan Deane, who will be performing on the film’s soundtrack. Sources have revealed that former flame, Minki van Der Westhuizen, will also be starring in the full-length feature, playing herself.
Television’s Jeannie D is pipped to play
Smith’s future wife, Morgan Deane
Whilst the film does qualify for a Theatre and Arts government grant, it will be entirely funded by SA businessman and cricket lover, Tokyo Sexwale. Production costs were reduced as filming could take place in Zimbabwe, rather than Australia, given the similarities between Zimbabwe’s Queens Sports Club Stadium and Melbourne’s MCC cricket grounds.
Director Neill Blomkamp said that production visas for Zimbabwe were easier to obtain than they thought, saying, “Dealing directly with a man like Robert Mugabe seemed quite daunting at the time, but in the end all he wanted was a cameo in the movie, in return for unrestricted access.”
Zimbabwean president, Robert Mugabe is expected to appear briefly in the movie, as one of Makhaya Ntini’s relatives.
In a similar yet far more prominent role, Carte Blanche’s Derrick Watts is pipped to play Graeme Smith’s father, Graham.
‘Biff: The Movie’ is expected to be in theaters by Fall 2014
