Actor Uses YouTube to Pitch Himself for Tupac Biopic

Director Antoine Fuqua is set to start shooting a biopic based on the life of Tupac Shakur in September, but no announcement has been made stating who will play the late rapper. So, in an effort to land the role San Diego based actor Amiri Starr has launched a grassroots, online campaign to grab the attention of Fuqua.

Starr has put together an audition tape portraying Tupac in several different facets and posted it on both YouTube and Facebook pages. And following his intense journey of studying Tupac through his music, video footage, interviews and other sources, Starr believes he has what it takes to fully capture Tupac's genuine essence.

"In contrast to the others that I've seen who want the role, I feel like I take this more serious than merely memorizing some lines, throwing on a bandanna, screaming 'West Side' and thinking that I've got him nailed. I've done the character study even after the audition tape, and I've really sought to discover the inner workings and mysteries of the man," says Starr.

Motivated by director Antoine Fuqua request to find someone with a new face to fill the role of Tupac, Starr says he's looking forward to the opportunity to meet Fuqua and formally audition for the role. "I would truly be humbled and honored to portray one of the biggest, most polarizing African-American revolutionary of the past century."

See Amiri Starr's YouTube audition after the jump.