Marvin Gaye Biopic 'Sexual Healing' Has Singer's Ex-Wife, Janis Gaye, 'Disappointed'

Marvin Gaye's Ex-Wife Sounds Off On Biopic
FILE - In this Jan. 17, 1983 file photo, Singer-songwriter Marvin Gaye is seen at the American Music Awards in Los Angeles. Singer John Legend is joining the Kennedy Center in Washington to start a program in honor of the late Marvin Gaye encouraging young artists to engage in social issues. The project announced Tuesday echoes Gaye's lyrics and asks young people to consider "What's Going On ... Now?" They can upload videos, photos, poems, music or any recordings of creative expression to the project's website to answer that question. (AP Photo/Doug Pizac)
FILE - In this Jan. 17, 1983 file photo, Singer-songwriter Marvin Gaye is seen at the American Music Awards in Los Angeles. Singer John Legend is joining the Kennedy Center in Washington to start a program in honor of the late Marvin Gaye encouraging young artists to engage in social issues. The project announced Tuesday echoes Gaye's lyrics and asks young people to consider "What's Going On ... Now?" They can upload videos, photos, poems, music or any recordings of creative expression to the project's website to answer that question. (AP Photo/Doug Pizac)

With a touring theater production, "My Brother Marvin," in progress and the development of his biopic, "Sexual Healing" underway, Marvin Gaye’s ex-wife, Janis Gaye has recently expressed her thoughts on the two projects.

According to the New York Daily News, Janis claims the play and film is the “last thing” the late Motown icon would want to have happen, and questioned the accuracy of the theater production which was conceived by Gaye’s sister, Zeola Gaye.

“Some of the characterizations, like saying Marvin’s father killing him was a ‘mercy killing,’ you can only imagine how that makes the kids feel.” It makes me feel bad enough,” she admitted before opening up on her “disappointment” over Jesse L. Martin replacing Lenny Kravitz’s lead role in Julien Temple's biopic.

“Ultimately, I think it was Lenny’s heart and soul and conscience that caused him to step away,” she“Hopefully, that touches Jesse in the same way.”

The singer’s second wife isn’t the only person who has publicly expressed disapproval over the forthcoming project. Last December, Marvin Gaye III also questioned the film’s accuracy.

"The producers and directors of this film are very wrong and shameful," he told TMZ. "[They're] trying to do a film about a low period in his life. They don't even know the whole story."

Before You Go

Iconic Album Covers

Iconic Album Covers

Popular in the Community

Close

What's Hot