Who would have thought placing a bunch of rappers in a film about a disco roller skating team in the 1970s would be a box office hit and receive positive ratings not just by fans but, also, scores of critics.
The director with the foresight to believe in Roll Bounce was Malcolm D. Lee of Scary Movie 5 and Night School fame. He was rewarded with a Best Screenplay, Original or Adapted Black Reel Awards along with being nominated for the category of Best Director by the same awards show. For those unfamiliar with the film, here is a little trivia about the cast that might cause naysayers to give it a chance.
10 T.I. Was Originally Cast As A Main Character
Roll Bounce just seems made for T.I. who just has the look and swagger of a popular character in the 1970s. After all, he has proven himself to be an accomplished actor with more than a few quality films under his belt. Though, at the time, Mike Epps had gained his fame from his popular stand-up comedy and his roles in the Friday films.
While Bow Wow had that squeaky-clean image that would draw fans of all ages to the movie. Though, it still would have been amazing to see T.I. in one of their roles.
9 Roll Bounce Takes Place The Same Year Wesley Jonathan Was Born
Some characters are perfect fits for period films. Others appear completely out of place. To do such a film, usually, a certain amount of work has to go into researching the hot topics of the time, along with the clothing and slang.
For those actors and actresses that do not prepare adequately to understand the culture and era that the movie is placed in, are ultimately doomed to fail. Yet, Bow Wow along with his rival Sweetness, which is played by Wesley Jonathan who was born the same year the movie takes place, did just fine in their roles.
8 Meagan Good And Jurnee Smollet Starred Together In Another Film
Since starring in Roll Bounce, Meagan Good has had success in other films including Saw V and Shazam!. Her costar in Roll Bounce was Jurnee Smollett of Friday Night Lights and Birds of Prey fame. Before starring in their signature roles in Roll Bounce, they were featured as sisters in the 1997 drama film Eve’s Bayou, which featured them as Creole-American children living in a small Louisiana town.
It deals with the struggles these girls face after they learn of the consequences of their father’s infidelity. It showcases their talents alongside the more well-known actor Samuel L. Jackson.
7 Jurnee Smollet Has A Famous Brother
Even though Jurnee has made her name in the recently released Birds of Prey, it is her brother Jussie that has made headlines news for all the right and wrong reasons. His hit TV show Empire has won him national fame as the R&B singer and gay son of music mogul Lucious Lyon.
The TV series proved to be a hit in Fox’s prime time lineup during its time on air. However, Jussie was fired from the show for supposedly pretending to be the victim of a hate crime in order to gain a higher pay raise.
6 Bow Wow Can Do A Perfect Moonwalk
For those too young to understand the significance of the dance move, the moonwalk, then let’s take a trip down memory lane. It first became popular as Michael Jackson’s iconic move in the early 1980s. In fact, the move itself is primarily tied to Jackson even though he wasn’t the sole creator of it.
Oddly enough, Michael Jackson witnessed the dance on the popular 1970s TV series Soul Train, performed by Jeffrey Daniel. Daniel agreed to teach Michael Jackson the move and the rest is history. Like Michael Jackson, Bow Wow can do the iconic move perfectly.
5 Nick Cannon First Stand Up Comedy Gig Was On His Father’s Program
Nick Cannon has some proven comedy chops and it showed during his time on Wild ‘n Out. While most adults might recognize him from his MTV days, he received his first start on Nickelodeon’s All That and his first hosting duties during various Nickelodeon’s Kids Choice Awards throughout his time on the network.
However, the San Diego native’s first stand up gig came on his father’s televangelist program where he was given his first chance to perform to a live audience. Cannon jumped at his first big chance, not disappointing, performing like a seasoned comedian.
4 Bow Wow Is A Huge Michael Jordan Fan
It isn’t shocking to hear a friend or family member talk about a moment they saw a glimpse or possibly even met a famous celebrity. Usually, these stories involve feeling speechless and overwhelmed to the point of embarrassment. People tend to forget celebrities are people too and when they meet their idols, they have the same human emotions as the rest of the population.
When Bow Wow met his basketball hero Michael Jordan, he claimed he couldn’t even pronounce a sentence as he was in total shock of meeting a person he had looked up to his entire life.
3 Nick Cannon’s Family History
Nick Cannon first found fame in the early 2000s on Nickelodeon’s All That and The Nick Cannon Show. His popularity only increased from there as he gained fame as a rapper, comedian and a host. It seems like if Nick Cannon puts his mind to something, he has the capabilities of accomplishing his goals.
That primarily stems from the genes he received from his successful parents. Cannon’s father was a popular televangelist and his mother an accountant. So not only was he born with the gift of gab but has the mathematical mind to manage his success.
2 Wesley Johnson Got His First Big Break At Nine
Usually kids dream of being doctors or firemen throughout their childhood but after going to an audition with his cousin at the age of nine, Johnson caught the acting bug and never looked back. Within six months of going to multiple auditions, he received his first small part in the television series 21 Jump Street.
From there, he has had parts in various popular TV series such as Baywatch, Moesha, and CSI: Miami. He also was the main character on TV Land’s The Soul Man, where he starred next to Cedric the Entertainer and Niecy Nash.
1 Mike Epps Was A Super Bowl Ambassador
Mike Epps a native of Indianapolis, Indiana, who grew up an Indianapolis Colts fan. In 1994, Epps moved to New York, getting his first start in the series Def Comedy Jam. Since then, Epps has gained fame as a stand-up comedian and even starred alongside Nick Cannon in Wild ‘n Out.
However, it was his role in the Friday movies that put him on the map as an actor. When Super Bowl XLVI was held in his hometown of Indianapolis, he was given the title of Super Bowl Ambassador and featured in various commercials promoting the Super Bowl Village.
