Alan ‘Skill’ Cole, renowned both for his prowess on the football field and his intimate connection to the legendary Bob Marley, in a recent interview with Entertainment Report’s Anthony Miller, admits to abstaining from viewing the “Bob Marley: One Love” biopic, citing a profound disagreement with its depiction of Marley’s true essence. “No I didn’t (watch),” he confesses, “because I don’t think that the movie projected what the true essence of a Bob Marley is all about.”
Cole who was Bob Marley & The Wailer’s tour manager during the 1970s transcends mere acquaintance he said, “I was the closest person to him.” Cole reflects, “and I knew more about him than anyone else.” Their relationship, he emphasizes, defied the confines of professionalism; it was a connection rooted in authenticity and unwavering loyalty. “I was the only man that was never on his payroll, and he would tell his mother and some of my friends that I am the only person in life that he can’t pay back.”
“Bob Marley: One Love” has so far grossed $146 million in ticket sales globally and draws criticism from the “War” cowriter for its omission of Cindy Breakspeare, the mother of Marley’s son Damian Junior Gong Marley. Breakspeare’s character was supposed to be portrayed by upcoming British actress Umi Myers, however those scenes did not make the final cut.
Her absence, according to Cole, represents a glaring oversight in Marley’s narrative in the movie, one that diminishes the complexity of his personal life. “Because she was such an integral part of his life during that time,” Cole asserts, “and it was an affair that was real.”
Breakspeare’s recent heartfelt birthday message on social media, commemorating her relationship with Marley, ignited a firestorm of controversy but Cole defends Breakspeare against the backlash, shedding light on the intricacies of Marley’s romantic entanglements and the significance of her role in his life. “Marley would go around and tell people he wasn’t married,” Cole reveals, “it’s a story he told all the girls.”
Cole, 73, issues a poignant reminder of the importance of context and understanding. “What has been done cannot be undone,” he reflects, “I think a lot of people don’t understand the history where it’s coming from.”
Emphasizing the need for context and empathy in interpreting Marley’s story he said, “I read some of the comments and it’s very sad because these people who are making these comments they were not around, they don’t know the history. It’s a bit carnal and they don’t do her justice.”
