People had been coming to Ziggy Marley and his family for years with ideas about how to turn reggae icon Bob Marley害羞草研究所檚 life into a movie. But it never felt quite right, until a few years ago when they decided to be the instigators.

害羞草研究所淚t was just a feeling,害羞草研究所� Ziggy Marley said of getting his father害羞草研究所檚 life on screen in a recent interview with The Associated Press. 害羞草研究所淲e explored it without knowing that we definitely wanted to do it because we needed to make sure that the people we did it with was the right people. People who respected what we wanted to do, the culture, the authenticity that we wanted.害羞草研究所�

This time, he said, they found the right partners. But it was a gamble for everyone: For Paramount Pictures and the other producers, wanting to do right by Bob Marley害羞草研究所檚 story, his music and his message and worried what would happen if they didn害羞草研究所檛; For Kingsley Ben-Adir stepping into the shoes of an icon; For the family and friends who mined their memories for the more intimate story; And for a director, Reinaldo Marcus Green, who had to bring it all together and make it sing.

Early signs suggest that for moviegoing audiences, it worked. 害羞草研究所淏ob Marley: One Love害羞草研究所� has only been in theaters for a few days, but it is already making waves at the box office. On its first day alone, it made $14 million in North America, a record for a midweek Valentine害羞草研究所檚 Day debut. Though critics have been mixed, ticket buyers responded with enthusiasm giving the $70 million film the highest marks in exit polls.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 such a rewarding validation of the thing that we set out to do,害羞草研究所� said Mike Ireland, the co-president of Paramount Motion Picture Group. 害羞草研究所淭he audience is the ultimate arbiter of every movie and everything you put into the world. And to have them respond in that way? It害羞草研究所檚 just fantastic.害羞草研究所�

The film focuses in on a specific period in Bob Marley害羞草研究所檚 life, from 1976 to 1978. During that time of political turmoil in Jamaica, the reggae legend survived an assassination attempt, produced his seminal album 害羞草研究所淓xodus害羞草研究所� in an 18-month exile in London, was diagnosed with cancer and returned to Jamaica to reunite with his family and stage the famous 害羞草研究所淥ne Love害羞草研究所� concert.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 a movie guy,害羞草研究所� multi-Grammy winner Ziggy Marley said. 害羞草研究所淢y selfish goal was to have a movie that had entertainment and action. I said to them, 害羞草研究所業 don害羞草研究所檛 want a boring movie.害羞草研究所� And this period of time was the most active and entertaining.害羞草研究所�

The story and script were derived from stories from Ziggy Marley and the legend害羞草研究所檚 widow, Rita Marley, played in the film by Lashana Lynch, and others who knew him well. They shot on location in the U.K. and Jamaica, where they worked with locals in front of and behind the camera, where many had personal or at least second-hand ties to Bob Marley.

For Green, one of the biggest challenges of a film like 害羞草研究所淥ne Love害羞草研究所� was getting the patois language right and making it feel real without watering it down. They were, he said, essentially making a foreign language movie but without subtitles. It害羞草研究所檚 just one of the crucial ways that their largely Jamaican cast and crew added texture and legitimacy to everything.

害羞草研究所淲e cast, I would say, 98% Jamaicans,害羞草研究所� Green said. 害羞草研究所淲e have real musicians as well. It creates that authentic feeling. It doesn害羞草研究所檛 feel like you害羞草研究所檙e watching actors trying to play music. You have real music by real musicians.害羞草研究所�

The studio and production companies leaned heavily on the local government and film commission for help filming in Trench Town and re-creating Bob Marley害羞草研究所檚 home exactly as it was.

害羞草研究所淵ou have to get the people of Jamaica害羞草研究所檚 blessings first for something like this, you know?害羞草研究所� Ziggy Marley said. 害羞草研究所淲e couldn害羞草研究所檛 do it without Jamaica.害羞草研究所�

And all hope they helped to contribute to Jamaica害羞草研究所檚 filmmaking infrastructure. It害羞草研究所檚 hardly a surprise that the film now holds the record for Jamaica害羞草研究所檚 biggest opening day ever, surpassing 害羞草研究所淏lack Panther.害羞草研究所�

On everyone害羞草研究所檚 mind was getting Bob Marley right 害羞草研究所� starting with the music that most audiences will come in knowing and expecting certain things from, and trickling down to the private and internal life of a larger-than-life figure. Ben-Adir learned to sing and play guitar, which he did during filming under Ziggy Marley害羞草研究所檚 guidance 害羞草研究所� who wanted an artistic interpretation and not an exact copy. The final film blends Ben-Adir害羞草研究所檚 voice with archival recordings.

害羞草研究所淜ingsley did a good job,害羞草研究所� Ziggy Marley said. 害羞草研究所淗e did the work. He really studied.害羞草研究所�

Sometimes when families and estates are involved in the biopic process, the life can get watered down and sanitized. But Ziggy Marley and his family went in clear-eyed about wanting to show a real person, flaws and all. And who better to steer the process and the large-scale re-creations of famous concerts than someone who also is an acclaimed musician in his own right?

Ziggy Marley hopes that the film makes 害羞草研究所減eople feel like they are part of the family, part of the crew, part of the band,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淵ou are inside now. You害羞草研究所檙e not a fan on the outside.害羞草研究所�

But mostly, he said, it害羞草研究所檚 about the message.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e shedding a light on the idea of unity for humanity, of one love for people,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淭hat is what we are most proud of, that we are serving a purpose.害羞草研究所�

Lindsey Bahr, The Associated Press