First Look: André Benjamin As Jimi Hendrix In 'All Is By My Side'

The Jimi Hendrix biopic All is by My Side may not have the blessing of the Hendrix estate — or it didn't a few weeks ago, anyway — but it is moving forward regardless. André Benjamin, member of OutKast and occasional actor, is playing Hendrix after years of talking about the possibility, and photos of the actor in costume have hit the internet.

Sure, this is basically Benjamin in an appropriate wig and a peek at the actual costume he'll wear in one scene, but with his mustache in shape he looks more or less like Hendrix.

That's just the beginning, however, as Jimi has an instantly recognizable stage presence and speech pattern, in addition to his eccentric guitar-playing style. Can Benjamin get all that down and make the character feel like more than a put-on? We'll see eventually. In the meantime, there are a couple of pics of him, as well as two of co-star Hayley Atwell (Captain America: The First Avenger). She plays Linda Keith, who was dating Keith Richards when she befriended Hendrix and helped him get a record deal.

John Ridley directs the film, which started production in Ireland this week; Imogen Poots also stars. Here's the production company's account of the film:

In "All Is By My Side," there's rock music. Then there's Jimi Hendrix. "All Is By My Side" captures the energy, the charisma, the mind-boggling talent of a legend whose musical influence still resonates around the world today. Based on actual interviews and archival materials, "All Is By My Side" brings authenticity and poignantly reveals a Jimi Hendrix behind the legend. At its heart a love story, "All Is By My Side" is about a man growing up, falling in love and becoming Jimi.