By Catherine Sodano
Four years ago, Sean Combs made his highly anticipated debut on as Walter Lee on Broadway. Yes, this is the same Combs who has consecutively changed stage names and has been formerly known as Puff Daddy, P. Diddy, Puffy, etc. Combs has his own record label, heads Bad Boy Entertainment and is both a restaurateur and fashion designer. Why not add Broadway film-adaptation to his résumé? The mogul has drawn diverse audiences to the play.
The inspirational modification from Kenny Leon’s screenplay stole a three-hour spot on ABC’s prime time television at 8 p.m. on February 25th. Not only has it gained national attention through its spot on ABC, but it has won a Tony Award for its accomplishments on Broadway.
Phylicia Rashad (“The Cosby Show”) and John Stamos (“Full House”) also aided in creating the film’s buzz.
Interestingly enough, an African-American woman, Lorraine Hansberry, wrote the play in 1959 at the age of 27. But when she died at the age of 37 of cancer, she was unable to see the work’s achievements but she was still the first African-American woman ever to have a play produced on Broadway.
The story of a low-class Chicago family won the attention of P. Diddy. Combs didn’t want to obtain his role solely due to his fame: he was determined to prove himself as a serious actor and, as a result, hired numerous acting coaches to clinch the role. Regardless of what spectators may believe, Combs is no stranger to having an impoverished background. He considered the role to be relatively identical to his upbringing.
Combs grew up in Harlem, New York, having next to nothing, scraping for every penny. His father passed away when he was three years old and he then lived in a house with three women. From the beginning, he was always determined to be something and transformed nonentity into embraced superstardom.
Combs recounted the story of when he was a 12-year-old boy on Oprah’s show: he desperately wanted sneakers and his mother had no money to get them for him. Refusing to steal the sneakers, like the rest of his friends would, explaining that he never wanted to live like that. He got his first job sweeping the floors and washing the dishes at a local supermarket that same year, with the hopes of buying himself sneakers.
The rest is history in terms of the success of P. Diddy; his drive and desire to succeed lead him to the international mega-triumph he is today.
Sean Combs now is coproducer this film adaptation which reunites the cast of the Broadway revival. He received mixed reviews in his Broadway performance but it’s certain he has pinned the role down to a tee. Combs nailed the role as a 34-year-old chauffeur who resides with his wide, son, sister, and mother, whom all shared one bathroom, in a tiny flat. The story is based on a family’s challenging experiences growing up in a poor Chicago neighborhood. The movie entailed the touchy issues of abortion, poverty, racism, segregation and alcoholism.
The natural progression and contented ease of the actors glinted collectively as chemistry between the actors soared.
The film was a moving drama, and indeed drew awareness to the plights struggling citizens had to live by. By and large, the intensity of the film illustrated the depth and empathy of audiences. Although Hansberry wrote this playwright from an outside perspective, growing up in a middle class society, she accurately depicted the struggles and actuality of situational dilemmas in Chicago at the given time.
Continuing to prove himself as not just a rapper, Sean Combs (left) takes on the role of Walter Lee Younger in “A Raisin in the Sun.” (playbill.com)