OMEN
01-11-2009, 11:55 PM
Jamal Woolard was so determined to land the role of late rap legend Notorious B.I.G. in biopic Notorious - he began turning himself into the heavweight hip-hop star five months before he even auditioned.
Woolard had no acting experience, but was an MC, like the star commonly referred to as Biggie Smalls, and hails from the same Brooklyn, New York neighborhood as the rapper - who was murdered in 1997.
He felt it his destiny to play B.I.G. - real name Christopher Wallace - on the big screen, and set about taking on his hero's look, voice and mannerisms, long before he could even try out for the part.
Woolard says, "I went to Biggie boot camp. I had to gain the weight and I went up to 340 pounds because I felt the competition was so big. I then studied his mannerisms.
"This was all five months before casting."
Tiscali
Woolard had no acting experience, but was an MC, like the star commonly referred to as Biggie Smalls, and hails from the same Brooklyn, New York neighborhood as the rapper - who was murdered in 1997.
He felt it his destiny to play B.I.G. - real name Christopher Wallace - on the big screen, and set about taking on his hero's look, voice and mannerisms, long before he could even try out for the part.
Woolard says, "I went to Biggie boot camp. I had to gain the weight and I went up to 340 pounds because I felt the competition was so big. I then studied his mannerisms.
"This was all five months before casting."
Tiscali