Latest news with #MerkyFilm
Perth Now
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Stormzy felt 'challenged' by Big Man role
Stormzy found it difficult to "totally separate" himself from his Big Man character. The 31-year-old star plays a rapper in his first lead role, and Stormzy admits that he struggled to distance himself from his movie character. The award-wining star - who plays Tenzman in the new film - told BBC Newsbeat: "It was really tough if I'm honest. "It felt like I'm playing a rapper but I am a rapper, it's tough to totally separate." Big Man is the first release from Stormzy's #MerkyFilm production company, and the rapper has revealed his long-term ambition for the enterprise. He shared: "What we've tried to do at Merky, whether it's music, sports, whatever, we do we just want to stand in our truth, tell our stories, but also not from the same perspective that it's always been told from. "Even being black British, it's such a nuanced experience – you've got the black experience, you've got the British experience, and then you've got the black British experience. "We want to tell it from our perspective which is nuanced, it's brilliant, it's different, it's not always the same, it's not a monolith." Stormzy felt "challenged" while making the movie, but he still enjoyed the creative process. The Vossi Bop hitmaker said: "It was really tough but it was a challenge I was so honoured to be a part of. "I like to be challenged, I like to be a bit uncomfortable so I love it." Stormzy previously explained that his acting debut was "all about the joy, spirit and fearless energy of youth". The rapper also hopes that the 24-minute short film will serve as a source of inspiration for aspiring stars. He said: "I hope you love our first project, Big Man, as much as we loved making it. 'For me, it's all about the joy, spirit and fearless energy of youth – that feeling like life is one big adventure and the world's your playground. "I hope it inspires you to dream bigger, live louder, and hold on to that unapologetic energy that comes with being young."
BBC News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Stormzy: Big Man role was tough to separate from real me
Stormzy says playing a rapper in his first lead role made it hard to separate himself for the Mike stars as Tenzman in Big Man - the first release from the grime star's production company #MerkyFilm and his first lead at the film's premiere, he tells BBC Newsbeat: "It was really tough if I'm honest."It felt like I'm playing a rapper but I am a rapper, it's tough to totally separate." #MerkyFilm follows Stormzy's other projects like #MerkyBooks and #MerkyFC which have aimed to elevate black British voices and talent."In every single area that we've tried to infiltrate we've said, 'if this is the status quo, we want to try and do things a little bit different'," he says moving into film has been a dream of his for a long time - as for why he's waited until now, he says he can't describe it."I just know why it's important in general," he says. This year marks 10 years since actors started boycotting the biggest event in the film world, The Oscars, over criticism about a lack of then, campaigns like #OscarsSoWhite have seen calls grow louder for improved representation on screen."What we've tried to do at Merky, whether it's music, sports, whatever, we do we just want to stand in our truth, tell our stories, but also not from the same perspective that it's always been told from," Stormzy says. "Even being black British, it's such a nuanced experience – you've got the black experience, you've got the British experience, and then you've got the black British experience. "We want to tell it from our perspective which is nuanced, it's brilliant, it's different, it's not always the same, it's not a monolith." 'A challenge I was honoured to be part of' One of Stormzy's co-stars, 15-year-old Klevis Brahja, tells Newsbeat how he was scouted for the film on the street."I never knew I wanted to do acting and then out of nowhere I'm in auditions," he says."It's crazy to be near someone like Stormzy and to have an opportunity like this. A lot of people dream for this and we're the lucky ones, it's amazing."Stormzy also worked with Oscar-winning director Aneil Karia, known for projects including The Long Goodbye and Surge, on Big Man, which was shot entirely on a phone."It was really tough but it was a challenge I was so honoured to be a part of," Stormzy says."I like to be challenged, I like to be a bit uncomfortable so I love it." Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here.
