Lil Wayne is set to make his first movie appearance in the Dimension Films sports drama Patriots. Wayne will play the role of “Lamont,” a student joining a hastily assembled basketball team made of Hurricane Katrina victims. Fellow rapper Bow Wow will appear as well as Forrest Whitaker, Isaiah Washington and Taraji P. Henson.
The film is based on the true story of the 2005 John Ehret High School boy’s basketball team. After members from five different high schools were displaced by Hurricane Katrina, the remaining students joined the Ehret High team and won the state title. Tim Story, whose previous credits include Barbershop and Fantastic Four, will direct the feature.
There should be plenty of storylines to follow on and off-screen when the film is released in November. In addition to marking the acting debut of Lil Wayne, the film will also be the first major film role for Washington since being dismissed from the cast of Grey’s Anatomy for his use of a homophobic slur towards a co-star. Patriots is currently filming in New Orleans.
