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Forest Whitaker could be a star in front and behind the cameras for an upcoming Louis Armstrong biopic - but he admits he will not be singing.
While the Oscar-winning star would direct and play the late jazz legend in the long-developing drama, currently known as Satchmo, he has no plans to mimic his distinctive singing voice.
"I"m not going to sing. I'm just going to use his voice. It's too iconic," he explained to The Playlist.
Forest wants the biopic to show Louis' positive and passionate outlook on life.
"It's amazing how much he loved life, how much he embraced and danced with life. If you go on YouTube and watch his videos, you can't help but smile, it's really startling," he continued.
"I think it's gonna be great for me, because I think it'll be great to work out what it's like to have that kind of joy. He wasn't miserable, he didn't die from a drug overdose. He had his conflicts, he was deserted at times, he was considered an Uncle Tom at times, but he loved life."
The 50-year-old has been taking advantage of his directing friends, including Clint Eastwood.
"I asked him to read the script, and I met with him and talked to him. He talked to me about some of the issues with conflict in the latter part," he recalled.
