Usher Raymond has been picked to portray Sugar Ray Leonard on the big screen. The R&B singer/actor will play the legendary boxer in the biopic Hands of Stone, a film that centers primarily on Panamanian boxer Roberto Durán (played by García Bernal).
In a recent interview, Raymond expressed himself in depth about his upcoming role as the athlete and mentioned that he’s eyeing a possible Academy Award win for his performance.
“I don’t know if this is the one that would win me an Oscar or not. I’m going into it offering my interpretation and my hard work and my dedication to be the best Sugar Ray ever. Or as good as the man can be. I’ve spoken to him, and I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to live up to him. But I’ll try to be better than him.”
He adds,
“I’ve seen Oscar winners come out of left field…I’m just saying Jennifer Hudson won an Oscar.”
Hands of Stone will also star Robert De Niro and Gael García Bernal.
