Watch: André 3000 Almost Passed on Playing Jimi Hendrix in ‘All Is By My Side’

André Benjamin as Jimi Hendrix in ‘Jimi: All Is By My Side’

André 3000 may be hearing growing Oscar buzz for his latest Jimi Hendrix role, but on Monday’s Queen Latifah Show he revealed that he almost turned down the opportunity.

The rapper/actor, known best as half of Outkast , plays the late rock legend in John Ridley ‘s forthcoming Hendrix biopic, Jimi: All Is By My Side , out now in select theaters.

Check out what Mr. André Benjamin had to say about what held him back and why he decided to move forward with the film in the clip below.

Set in 1966-67, Jimi: All Is By My Side covers a year in the life of the legendary guitarist, when he was an unknown backup musician playing New York’s Cheetah Club to making his mark in London’s music scene up until his Monterey Pop triumph.

The film doesn’t include any of Hendrix’s original songs but features André singing covers of the Beatles, Elvis, Muddy Waters , and the Troggs , whose song “Wild Thing” closed out his star-making, guitar-burning Monterey set in 1967.

Hayley Atwell as Kathy Etchingham and André Benjamin as Jimi Hendrix in ‘Jimi: All Is By My Side’

Shot in Ireland, All Is by My Side also stars British actresses Imogen Poots ( That Awkward Moment ) and Hayley Atwell ( Captain America: The First Avenger ), Irish actress Ruth Negga ( World War Z ), and American actor Burn Gorman ( Pacific Rim ).

The film is produced by Darko Entertainment, Freeman Film and Subotica Entertainment.

Since its premiere at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival , All Is By My Side has screened at the 2013 Stockholm International Film Festival , SXSW 2014 ,  the 2014 Seattle International Film Festival , Italy’s 2014 Biografilm Festival and the 2014 Los Angeles Film Festival .

Tune in to The Queen Latifah Show on weekdays at 1:00 pm on FOX/3:00 pm on ABC.

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