How ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ Star Lashana Lynch Became Rita Marley To Create a ‘Spiritual Experience’

British-born actress Lashana Lynch, known for her performances in The Woman King and No Time to Die, takes on her most personal role as singer-songwriter Rita Marley, the widow of reggae legend Bob Marley, in Bob Marley: One Love.

The musical biopic, featuring Kingsley Ben-Adir as Marley, has captivated audiences worldwide, earning over $180 million at the global box office since its February release.

Insights: Lessons from Lashana Lynch

• Dive deep into your personal background when portraying characters with a shared heritage, using this connection to add depth and authenticity to your performances.

• Communicate with the real-life subjects or their families for insights and to honor their legacy.

• Embody the character’s spirit, including physicality and voice, for a genuine performance.

The film focuses on Bob Marley’s life during a tumultuous era, capturing the mid-70s to his passing in 1981, including the iconic 1978 One Love Peace concert held in Kingston, Jamaica, during his homeland’s civil war.

Critics have praised Lynch’s portrayal, with The Guardian calling it “magnetic” and Rolling Stone stating that her performance “feels like it’s going to burn a hole through the screen.”

Lashana Lynch’s Approach to the Role of Rita Marley

At a recent press conference attended by Casting Networks, Lynch revealed that unlike other roles she’s played, “this one hit differently for me culturally because I come from a Jamaican background.”

Embracing her heritage, Lynch approached her character with reverence, saying she saw herself as “a vessel” for Rita Marley, who is currently 78 years old and was one of the film’s producers.

Her commitment to honoring Rita Marley’s legacy was evident. “I really was determined to make this an experience that she was proud of,” Lynch explained.

Her conversations with Rita Marley and her children were foundational to her approach.

“In my personal conversations with her and the family, I was like, ‘(Kingsley and I) are coming into this as protectors of you. We want you to feel as though you are represented in the best light. All the things that you are comfortable with showing, we want to protect that and we want to uphold your legacy with you.”

Researching Rita Marley

Researching the role went beyond gathering facts—it was about channeling Rita Marley’s spirit.

“Embodying a part of her energy, which she’s so giving with and so open with, felt like the missing piece in my research,” Lynch shared.

That energy revealed a multi-dimensional person — a human, a female, a black woman, a mother, an artist and Bob Marley’s partner in life and music. “I think without meeting her, I would have struggled to really find who she was.”

Another part of Lynch’s preparation was mastering Rita Marley’s unique physicality and accent, the latter of which she describes as “clicked, clean, airy and poised.” The Marley siblings, Ziggy and Cedella — also producers on the film — offered their memories and insights, as well as videos, further helping Lynch bring authenticity to her performance.

A Spiritual Experience

Lynch described her work on Bob Marley: One Love as a “spiritual experience.”

She said, “I now know what it feels like to be changed by a role. I know how marrying my work, my career and my spiritual experiences does to me as a person. It helps me approach things in a much calmer way because (Rita Marley) moves with peace completely. I’d like to think I’ve adopted a little bit of her attitude as an artist.”

Thinking about joining Casting Networks? Sign up for a free trial today!

You may also like:

• ‘Don Q’ Star Armand Assante Reflects on His ‘Incredible Journey as an Actor’
• ‘A Real Pain’ Star Kieran Culkin Describes the 3 Key Factors He Uses to Choose His Projects
• How A Family Member’s Suggestion Led Jesse Eisenberg to Casting Kieran Culkin in ‘A Real Pain’