EGOT winner John Legend has officially joined the cast of Oscar-winning director Bill Condon’s upcoming apartheid-era musical drama, The Road Home, where he will portray legendary musician, actor, and civil rights icon Harry Belafonte.

Currently filming on location in South Africa, The Road Home explores the high-stakes political and cultural firestorm surrounding the late 1980s, centering on South African jazz legends Hugh Masekela and Miriam Makeba during the controversy over Paul Simon’s groundbreaking yet polarizing 1986 Graceland album and tour.

For Legend, playing Belafonte is far more than just a high-profile acting gig; it is a deeply personal tribute to a man who served as a personal guide throughout his life and career.

Following news of his casting, Legend opened up about what it means to portray the late activist and artist who passed away in April 2023 at the age of 96.

“I was honored to know Mr. Belafonte as my friend, mentor and collaborator in the struggle for justice,” Legend told Variety. “He was an incredible human being who lived a monumental, revolutionary life. He was the epitome of an artist and activist who set a standard for me and so many others who stand on his shoulders. I count it a privilege to be entrusted with the role of Harry Belafonte in this special film.”

Legend also took to Facebook, posting a message alongside a confirmation of the production schedule:

“Harry Belafonte was my friend, my mentor, and my collaborator in the fight for justice. He set the standard for what it means to be an artist and an activist. So many of us stand on his shoulders. Bringing him to life on screen is a privilege I don’t take lightly. The Road Home. Filming now in South Africa.”

Written by Michael Bronner (with a story co-crafted alongside South African author Zakes Mda), The Road Home tackles the delicate intersection of art, celebrity, and global politics.

Set in the late 1980s, the film follows legendary South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela (played by award-winning South African star Thabo Rametsi) as he finds himself caught between two conflicting worlds. On one side stands his mentor, fierce anti-apartheid advocate Archbishop Trevor Huddleston (Oscar nominee Guy Pearce), who champions a strict United Nations cultural boycott against South Africa. On the other side is Masekela’s close friend Paul Simon (Johnny Flynn), whose decision to record in South Africa for his multi-platinum Graceland album sparked fierce debate within the Anti-Apartheid Movement.

Belafonte played a pivotal, behind-the-scenes role in navigating these historical tensions, mentoring Masekela after his exile following the 1960 Sharpeville Massacre and helping launch Miriam Makeba’s career in the United States.

Rounding out the ensemble is Oscar, Emmy, and Tony-winner Cynthia Erivo as “Mama Africa” herself, Miriam Makeba, who joins forces with Masekela to form the supergroup that toured the world alongside Simon.

Belafonte famously set the benchmark for modern celebrity activism, from funding the Freedom Rides and organizing the 1963 March on Washington to co-initiating We Are the World and chairing Nelson Mandela’s first U.S. fundraising tour in 1990.