According to Deadline, Golden Globe nominee James McAvoy has finally found the project for his feature directorial debut. The X-Men: Days of Future Past star has signed on to direct an untitled biographical movie about real-life rap duo Silibil N’ Brains, Scottish artists that pretended to be Americans in order to secure a record deal.
“What these two young men from Dundee attempted beggars belief and I can’t wait to bring this absolutely incredible, and also very Scottish/Californian story to the cinema,” McAvoy said in a statement. “Using Scottish talent behind and in front of the camera is something I’m passionate about and I’m over the moon to be making my directorial debut in my homeland. The film will first and foremost be a celebration of the Scottish spirit, but the ‘Silibil N’ Brains’ duo’s audacious fakery can’t help but appeal to audiences worldwide.”
Who are Silibil N’ Brains?
Silibil N’ Brains is the Scottish hip-hop duo of Gavin Bain and Billy Boyd. To achieve their musical ambitions, they decided to fake their identities as rappers from California in order for a London label to take their music seriously. The film adaptation will be based on Bain’s 2010 memoir California Schemin’, which later became the subject a documentary titled The Great Hip Hop Hoax.
“The untitled movie will show how the duo re-recorded their own tracks with fake accents and turned up in London claiming to be an established duo on the Cali scene as well as childhood friends with Eminem,” reads the synopsis. They quickly bagged themselves a record deal, a hefty sum in advances, and an appearance on MTV…until it all came crashing down.”
The project will start its production next year which will mostly take place in Scotland. It is produced by Guy J. Louthan’s Homefront Productions. The casting search will begin later this year.
