Ne-Yo Passes on Martin Luther King, Jr. Role
Ne-Yo fans may see the singer on the big screen again, but it won’t be in the role of Martin Luther King, Jr. The star recently turned it down due to the 30-pound weight gain required for the part.
According to the Boombox, the Sunday Mirror reports that the Motown Records exec rejected the role for several reasons, including his singing career. “I definitely want to do more acting but it’s got to make sense with the music,” Ne-Yo said. “I recently had to turn down an amazing opportunity to be in a movie playing Martin Luther King.”
With his new album, ‘R.E.D.,’ due out this September, Ne-Yo had no choice but to decline the offer. “They wanted to start shooting at the time my album R.E.D. comes out and wanted me to gain 30 pounds, so I couldn’t do it,” he explained. “I’m kicking myself but acting can’t take the place of my music. Plus, I’ve been killing myself in the gym for months preparing for this album because I wanted a complete makeover.”
‘R.E.D.,’ which is an acronym for ‘Realizing Every Dream,’ will hit shelves on Sept. 18 and features the singles ‘Lazy Love’ and ‘Let Me Love You (Until You Learn to Love Yourself).’
Watch the Ne-Yo ‘Let Me Love You (Until You Learn to Love Yourself)’ Video