R&B singer Ne-Yo made headlines recently when he revealed that he turned down the chance to play Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. because he didn’t want to gain 30 pounds. He may have passed on a career defining opportunity, but after his role in Red Tails, maybe not…

In the acting world, getting the chance to play someone famous in a biopic is sure to take a career to the next level, and these days, everybody is doing it. Usher has already spoken out about the high expectations he has for his upcoming role as Sugar Ray Leonard. He wants an Oscar. He’d be following in the footsteps of fellow entertainers and actors who have stepped into the shoes of iconic public figures and created a path towards podiums in doing so.

Source: totallytop10.com

Denzel Washington
Denzel was robbed of an Oscar for his portrayal of slain civil rights activist Malcolm X in 1993. Denzel assumed the identity of the complex man with ease and grace. He spoke the way Malcolm spoke. He carried himself the way Malcolm did and he made people feel as passionately about the Nation of Islam as the leader did with his nuanced performance. Denzel thoroughly inhabited the role of Malcolm through his cadence, posture and every inflection to the point where it felt he was no longer acting. He became Malcolm Little turned unconventional hero. Denzel may not have won the Oscar for the biopic, but the universal praise for his performance should be a fitting consolation.

Source: neorepublica.com

Source: whatzhotandnot.com

Every time you give Usher an inch, this man just has to take a mile. A few months ago we found out Usher was cast as Sugar Ray Leonard in a new film alongside Robert DeNiro and the reaction was sort of…meh. The movie is really about the life of Panamanian boxer, Roberto Durán, so we figured he should be able to carry the small role but Ursh clearly has some delusions of grandeur about how great of an actor he is or will be in this part.

In a profile with the UK’s Independent, Usher was asked what was appealing to him about the part:

“It was proper casting,” he shrugs. “I was selected. They approached me to do it. And all I had to was consider it.”

I always thought proper casting was auditioning and earning the role. *Shrugs* You can tell by Usher’s response he’s not too worried about being a good fit for the part acting wise, which is why when the reporter asked him if he was intimidated at all by starring in a flick with Robert DeNiro and Gael Garcia Bernal of all people, he said:

“Not at all, not at all. There’s a respect for both parties. I’ve seen Oscar winners come out of left field.”

Sort of like that statement?

“I’m just saying Jennifer Hudson,” he added. “I’m not even saying…You asked me, is it OK to assume that an actor who doesn’t have as much skill can’t out-act an actor who is well-decorated? And what I’m saying is, if you take a moment to just analyze… No, I’m not intimidated in any way. Because there’s a shared passion and respect among all of us, and it’s the type of script that will allow all of us to shine.

“I don’t know if this is the one that would win me an Oscar or not. I’m going into it offering my interpretation and my hard work and my dedication to be the best Sugar Ray ever. Or as good as the man can be. I’ve spoken to him, and I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to live up to him. But I’ll try to be better than him.”

His stumbling around that answer almost worse than he did when he was in the court room and asked whether he slept with Tameka’s bridesmaids or not—we don’t know what to believe. Though Usher couldn’t talk about his custody battle with the Independent, an interesting tidbit that came out in the interview is that the woman Usher is currently dating, Grace Miguel, is also his manager. I guess he didn’t learn not to mix business and pleasure the first time around.

How do you think Usher will do as Sugar Ray Leonard?

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Source: Ethan Miller and LEE CELANO/Getty Images

Turns out Usher is diving back into acting.

The R&B crooner is set to play boxer Sugar Ray Leonard in a movie which will chronicle the life of Panamanian boxer, Roberto Durán.

The movie is set to start filming later this year and will also star  Robert De Niro and Gael García Bernal.

Usher told the BBC he thinks this is an incredible role.  “If you see me in the corners boxing, I’m doing that while working on this album.”

Sounds like it’s going to be a busy year for Usher Raymond.

Do you think he can pull off this role?

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The boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard is finally telling his story in an autobiography set to be released this summer. And in it, he relays some shocking information: that he was molested by a former boxing coach when he was a teenager.

In this passage that appeared in the New York Times, Leonard describes the second encounter with the Olympic coach, when he and the coach were sitting in a parked car discussing the meaning of winning a gold medal at the 1976 Olympics.

“He was flattered, filled with hope, as any young athlete would be. But he writes: “Before I knew it, he had unzipped my pants and put his hand, then mouth, on an area that has haunted me for life. I didn’t scream. I didn’t look at him. I just opened the door and ran.”

In the past year alone, high profile cases and celebrities have illuminated just how common sexual abuse is in the lives of many. The Eddie Long scandal once again put the spotlight on the hypocrisy of church leaders. After four former Congregation members accused the Bishop of sexually molesting them, Long continues to defend his innocence and continues to lead his congregation.

Earlier this year, Dancing With The Stars Cheryl Burke also told of sexual abuse by a family friend. And just days ago, CNN news anchor Don Lemon not only came out of the closet as a gay man but also publicized his experience with sexual abuse as a child.

Which leads us to wander, just how common is the sexual abuse of children and what exactly drives so many adults to sexually abuse children?