John Legend considers it 'a privilege' to play Harry Belafonte in The Road Home

John Legend has assured fans that he won't take the responsibility of playing Harry Belafonte lightly.

The All of Me hitmaker is currently in South Africa filming The Road Home, in which he will portray the American singer, actor and civil rights activist.

Sharing the casting news on Instagram on Thursday, Legend wrote, "Harry Belafonte was my friend, my mentor, and my collaborator in the fight for justice. He set the standard for what it means to be an artist and an activist. So many of us stand on his shoulders."

He added, "Bringing him to life on screen is a privilege I don't take lightly. The Road Home. Filming now in South Africa."

Legend joins a cast that includes South African star Thabo Rametsi, Cynthia Erivo, Guy Pearce and Johnny Flynn.

The Road Home tells the story of South African jazz legends Hugh Masekela and Miriam 'Mama Africa' Makeba, and their Apartheid-era tour with Paul Simon in support of his 1986 album Graceland.

Exiled from his native South Africa, trumpeter Masekela (Rametsi) is pulled between two worlds when the Anti-Apartheid Movement, led by his mentor, fierce anti-apartheid advocate Archbishop Trevor Huddleston (Pearce), launches a boycott against his friend Paul Simon (Flynn) over his township music-inspired album Graceland.

Splitting from his mentor, Masekela joins forces with fellow exile and lifelong collaborator Makeba (Erivo) to create the Graceland band.

According to a press release, The Road Home is a story of "defiance, sacrifice, and the resilience of the human spirit". It will feature the music of Masekela, Makeba, and Simon.

Dreamgirls director Bill Condon is helming the film, which is now in production in South Africa.

Belafonte, best known for songs such as Day-O (The Banana Boat Song) and Jump in the Line, died in 2023 at the age of 96.