--- title: "Cynthia Erivo joins Snoop as Afeni Shakur, the mother behind Tupac's top 10 hit" description: "The Wicked star takes a key role in Universal's Snoop Dogg biopic, playing a former Black Panther activist whose strained bond with her son shaped his…" url: https://tv-movies.skoop.news/cynthia-erivo-joins-snoop-dogg-biopic-as-tupac-shakurs-mothe-4aea1a/ published: 2026-11-04T19:39:41.036004-05:00 modified: 2026-11-04T19:39:41.036013-05:00 section: "TV & Movies" publisher: "skoop.news" language: en keywords: ["Snoop Dogg", "Afeni Shakur", "Camron Jones", "Tupac Shakur", "Toronto International Film Festival", "Children of Blood", "Wicked", "BAFTA", "Bone", "Broadway"] hashtags: ["#SnoopDogg", "#AfeniShakur", "#CamronJones", "#Film", "#movieclips"] image: https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9b/Afeni_Shakur_with_the_ED_of_the_Tupac_Amaru_Shakur_Foundation_%282389742607%29.jpg/1280px-Afeni_Shakur_with_the_ED_of_the_Tupac_Amaru_Shakur_Foundation_%282389742607%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail --- # Cynthia Erivo joins Snoop as Afeni Shakur, the mother behind Tupac's top 10 hit > The Wicked star takes a key role in Universal's Snoop Dogg biopic, playing a former Black Panther activist whose strained bond with her son shaped his music. Published 2026-11-04 · Updated 2026-11-04 · TV & Movies, [skoop.news](https://skoop.news/) ## In brief - Cynthia Erivo, a three-time Oscar nominee, has joined the cast of Snoop as Tupac Shakur's mother, Afeni Shakur. [[1]](https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Cynthia-Erivo-Joins-Snoop-Dogg-Biopic-as-Tupac-Shakurs-Mother-20261104) [[2]](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/cynthia-erivo-to-play-tupac-shakur-mother-snoop-1236747793/) - Afeni Shakur was a former Black Panther activist. [[1]](https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Cynthia-Erivo-Joins-Snoop-Dogg-Biopic-as-Tupac-Shakurs-Mother-20261104) - Craig Brewer is directing. [[1]](https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Cynthia-Erivo-Joins-Snoop-Dogg-Biopic-as-Tupac-Shakurs-Mother-20261104) ## The casting Cynthia Erivo, a three-time Oscar nominee, has joined the cast of Snoop as Tupac Shakur's mother, Afeni Shakur. [[1]](https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Cynthia-Erivo-Joins-Snoop-Dogg-Biopic-as-Tupac-Shakurs-Mother-20261104) [[2]](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/cynthia-erivo-to-play-tupac-shakur-mother-snoop-1236747793/) The Hollywood Reporter says the part will be a key role in the film. [[1]](https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Cynthia-Erivo-Joins-Snoop-Dogg-Biopic-as-Tupac-Shakurs-Mother-20261104) Snoop is a Universal Pictures biopic of entertainment mogul and music icon Snoop Dogg. [[2]](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/cynthia-erivo-to-play-tupac-shakur-mother-snoop-1236747793/) The film is currently in production in Southern California. [[1]](https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Cynthia-Erivo-Joins-Snoop-Dogg-Biopic-as-Tupac-Shakurs-Mother-20261104) ## Who Afeni Shakur was Afeni Shakur was a former Black Panther activist. [[1]](https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Cynthia-Erivo-Joins-Snoop-Dogg-Biopic-as-Tupac-Shakurs-Mother-20261104) She had a strained relationship with her son, Tupac Shakur. [[1]](https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Cynthia-Erivo-Joins-Snoop-Dogg-Biopic-as-Tupac-Shakurs-Mother-20261104) She also served as the inspiration for a Tupac top 10 hit. [[1]](https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Cynthia-Erivo-Joins-Snoop-Dogg-Biopic-as-Tupac-Shakurs-Mother-20261104) Camron Jones is playing Tupac in the film. [[2]](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/cynthia-erivo-to-play-tupac-shakur-mother-snoop-1236747793/) ## The film around her Craig Brewer is directing. [[1]](https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Cynthia-Erivo-Joins-Snoop-Dogg-Biopic-as-Tupac-Shakurs-Mother-20261104) He also wrote the latest draft of the script, which Joe Robert Cole initially wrote. [[2]](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/cynthia-erivo-to-play-tupac-shakur-mother-snoop-1236747793/) Jonathan Daviss stars in the title role. [[1]](https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Cynthia-Erivo-Joins-Snoop-Dogg-Biopic-as-Tupac-Shakurs-Mother-20261104) He is one of the stars of the Netflix series Outer Banks, and he portrays Snoop Dogg, who emerged from Long Beach, Calif. in the 1990s to become one of the biggest names in rap. [[2]](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/cynthia-erivo-to-play-tupac-shakur-mother-snoop-1236747793/) The film will incorporate music from Snoop Dogg's vast catalog. [[2]](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/cynthia-erivo-to-play-tupac-shakur-mother-snoop-1236747793/) The cast also includes Myles Bullock Be, Lauren London, Camron Jones, Algee Smith, Tre Hale, Laya DeLeon Hayes, Olly Sholotan, Corey Champagne, Jonica Booth and SwayvoTwain. [[1]](https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Cynthia-Erivo-Joins-Snoop-Dogg-Biopic-as-Tupac-Shakurs-Mother-20261104) Imagine Entertainment's Brian Grazer and the company's Allan Mandelbaum are producing. [[2]](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/cynthia-erivo-to-play-tupac-shakur-mother-snoop-1236747793/) Snoop Dogg and Death Row Pictures president Sara Ramaker are also producing. [[2]](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/cynthia-erivo-to-play-tupac-shakur-mother-snoop-1236747793/) ## Erivo's résumé Erivo already works with the studio, having starred in Universal's two-part Wicked movies. [[2]](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/cynthia-erivo-to-play-tupac-shakur-mother-snoop-1236747793/) Her performance as Elphaba in the first Wicked film earned her Golden Globe, SAG, Critics' Choice, NAACP, BAFTA and Academy Award nominations. [[2]](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/cynthia-erivo-to-play-tupac-shakur-mother-snoop-1236747793/) She is a Tony, Grammy and Emmy winner. [[2]](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/cynthia-erivo-to-play-tupac-shakur-mother-snoop-1236747793/) She made her Broadway debut with her Tony Award winning performance in The Color Purple. [[1]](https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Cynthia-Erivo-Joins-Snoop-Dogg-Biopic-as-Tupac-Shakurs-Mother-20261104) She recently earned her second Grammy Award for a performance with Ariana Grande. [[1]](https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Cynthia-Erivo-Joins-Snoop-Dogg-Biopic-as-Tupac-Shakurs-Mother-20261104) Earlier this year, Erivo returned to the West End in Dracula, taking on 23 characters in an ambitious one-woman production. [[1]](https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Cynthia-Erivo-Joins-Snoop-Dogg-Biopic-as-Tupac-Shakurs-Mother-20261104) ## What to watch next If you want to see Erivo before Snoop arrives, her next film is the adaptation of Prima Facie. [[2]](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/cynthia-erivo-to-play-tupac-shakur-mother-snoop-1236747793/) It premiered at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival and will be released in UK and Ireland cinemas on Nov. 13. [[2]](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/cynthia-erivo-to-play-tupac-shakur-mother-snoop-1236747793/) She is also one of the stars of Paramount's Children of Blood and Bone, which opens in theaters on Jan. 15, 2027. [[2]](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/cynthia-erivo-to-play-tupac-shakur-mother-snoop-1236747793/) ## Sources 1. [Cynthia Erivo Joins Snoop Dogg Biopic as Tupac Shakur’s Mother](https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Cynthia-Erivo-Joins-Snoop-Dogg-Biopic-as-Tupac-Shakurs-Mother-20261104) — BroadwayWorld 2. [Cynthia Erivo to Play Tupac Shakur’s Mother in Universal’s Snoop Dogg Biopic (Exclusive)](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/cynthia-erivo-to-play-tupac-shakur-mother-snoop-1236747793/) — The Hollywood Reporter Image: Photo: AidaGagnier / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Afeni_Shakur_with_the_ED_of_the_Tupac_Amaru_Shakur_Foundation_(2389742607).jpg) --- Written from the sources above and checked twice (rules and an independent model) before publishing. How we work: https://skoop.news/how-we-work/ · Corrections: https://skoop.news/corrections/