Subscribe Login
Jamaica Observer
ePaper
The Edge 105 FM Radio Fyah 105 FM
Jamaica Observer
ePaper
The Edge 105 FM Radio Fyah 105 FM
    • Home
    • News
      • Latest News
      • Cartoon
      • International News
      • Central
      • North & East
      • Western
      • Environment
      • Health
      • #
    • Business
      • Business Bites
      • Social Love
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Basketball
      • Cricket
      • Horse Racing
      • World Champs
      • Commonwealth Games
      • FIFA World Cup
      • Olympics
      • #
    • Videos
    • Entertainment
      • Music
      • Movies
      • Art & Culture
      • Bookends
      • #
    • Lifestyle
      • Page2
      • Food
      • Tuesday Style
      • Food Awards
      • JOL Takes Style Out
      • Design Week JA
      • Black Friday
      • #
    • All Woman
      • Home
      • Relationships
      • Features
      • Fashion
      • Fitness
      • Rights
      • Parenting
      • Advice
      • #
    • Obits
    • Classifieds
      • Employment
      • Property
      • Motor Vehicles
      • Place an Ad
      • Obituaries
    • More
      • Games
      • Elections
      • Jobs & Careers
      • Study Centre
      • Jnr Study Centre
      • Letters
      • Columns
      • Advertorial
      • Editorial
      • Supplements
      • Webinars
    • Home
    • News
      • Latest News
      • Cartoon
      • International News
      • Central
      • North & East
      • Western
      • Environment
      • Health
      • #
    • Business
      • Business Bites
      • Social Love
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Basketball
      • Cricket
      • Horse Racing
      • World Champs
      • Commonwealth Games
      • FIFA World Cup
      • Olympics
      • #
    • Videos
    • Entertainment
      • Music
      • Movies
      • Art & Culture
      • Bookends
      • #
    • Lifestyle
      • Page2
      • Food
      • Tuesday Style
      • Food Awards
      • JOL Takes Style Out
      • Design Week JA
      • Black Friday
      • #
    • All Woman
      • Home
      • Relationships
      • Features
      • Fashion
      • Fitness
      • Rights
      • Parenting
      • Advice
      • #
    • Obits
    • Classifieds
      • Employment
      • Property
      • Motor Vehicles
      • Place an Ad
      • Obituaries
    • More
      • Games
      • Elections
      • Jobs & Careers
      • Study Centre
      • Jnr Study Centre
      • Letters
      • Columns
      • Advertorial
      • Editorial
      • Supplements
      • Webinars
  • Home
  • News
    • International News
  • Latest
  • Business
    • Business Bites
  • Cartoon
  • Games
  • Food Awards
  • Health
  • Entertainment
    • Bookends
  • Regional
  • Sports
    • Sports
    • World Cup
    • World Champs
    • Olympics
  • Videos
  • Career & Education
  • Classifieds
  • All Woman
  • Environment
  • Webinars
  • More
    • Football
    • Elections
    • Letters
    • Advertorial
    • Columns
    • Editorial
    • Supplements
  • Epaper
  • Design Week
‘I ended up being a nameless, voiceless ghost’
This photo collage captures Cindy Breakspeare with reggae legend Bob Marley and son Damian Marley.
Entertainment, Latest News
September 22, 2025

‘I ended up being a nameless, voiceless ghost’

Cindy Breakspeare says 2024 Marley biopic didn't tell reggae legend's whole truth

When Bob Marley’s biopic One Love was released last year, the film sparked questions about whether the story accurately reflected the late reggae icon’s life. The questions mostly stemmed from the absence of the Cindy Breakspeare storyline, which was a feature heavily spotlighted during the singer’s life.

More than a year after the film’s release, Breakspeare has broken her silence on the film’s representation of her (or the lack thereof) by stating she believes she became a “nameless, voiceless ghost” in the film.

“I think I ended up being a nameless, voiceless ghost. I’m not sure that Bob’s single-mindedness of purpose and his edginess, that sharp edge that his character had, was captured,” she shared in a television interview over the weekend. “I think all you really had to do was tell the truth. That’s all you really had to do, and you would have had a great movie, and sadly, it was not critically acclaimed as everybody knows. Anuh me say so, it was not critically acclaimed.”

Reflecting on the space she occupied in the film as opposed to that which she occupied in the singer’s life, the former Miss World said she felt the film was a disservice to her and the role she played in Marley’s life story.

“I was in a relationship with Bob for six years at the end of his life,” she said, also indicating that the movie also failed to adequately acknowledge several key players in the singer’s life. “I wasn’t the only one, I think, who felt hard done by it (the film). There were other people in the story who were cut out at the last minute, Peter Tosh being one of them. I don’t think we saw much of Skill (Alan Cole), who we just lost, so it kind of was condensed to a particular product, and I think there were many others who felt hard done by at the end of it.”

“Perhaps they (the movie’s creative directors) felt that of all the women who had outside children with Bob, I actually should probably be grateful that I got a look in any at all,” she continued, saying she was represented about three times during the movie. “But the representation was nothing compared to the actual relationship that we shared…Bob’s legacy has been part of the fabric of my life.”

Breakspeare’s relationship with the late reggae legend is no secret. In fact, the former beauty queen has been the subject of harsh criticism over the years for becoming involved with a married man. But as Breakspeare tells it, she has no regrets.

“I did not pursue Bob Marley, he pursued,” she shared, outlining that Marley himself revealed in interviews that he was not married and did not subscribe to the “western ways of life”.

“I did come to know that he was, in fact, legally married. I think it was his mom that probably told me, but by then there was Damian and there was no turning back,” Breakspeare continued in her candid TV interview. “I couldn’t send him (her son) back, so what are you going to do? Maybe I was just more comfortable ignoring the truth, deluding myself, you know how it is. Sometimes we ignore what we don’t want to face, what we don’t want to deal with.”

She then admitted that the story of her and Bob and the dynamics of their relationship is “ancient history”. Still, she would be more satisfied if said history were not altered.

“In my world, I don’t want anybody trying to change history; it was what it was…I don’t have fingers, toes or hair on my head to count the number of interviews and films that I have been in about Bob and who he was and what he was all about,” she shared. “And I have never, ever, not once in all these years, solicited any of those journalists or filmmakers they always found me, sought me out and insisted that they want to speak with me, and so I know it’s not my imagination that I had a valid role to play (in Marley’s story).”

Breakspeare went on to share that as a beauty queen from society’s upper class, she has been the subject of backlash for much of her life. She shared that from the moment her relationship with a Rastaman became public, she has been the subject of harsh criticism. But having a front row seat to the megastar her son Damian Marley has turned out to be, Breakspeare is adamant that when all is said and done, she wouldn’t change a thing.

“The rest of the world? I don’t think they were horrified; here was a rockstar and a beauty queen, what else is new,” she questioned. “When I look at the artiste my son has become today, I wouldn’t change anything.”

Tags:

Bob Marley Cindy Breakspeare One Love Reggae
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
0 Comments · Make a comment

ALSO ON JAMAICA OBSERVER

Young people in Caribbean to share ideas on democracy on September 3 in Jamaica
Latest News, News
Young people in Caribbean to share ideas on democracy on September 3 in Jamaica
August 26, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Young people across the Caribbean, Americas and Atlantic (CAA) Region will have an opportunity to share their perspectives on demo...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Prime Minister commends Father Ho Lung, Missionaries of the Poor for enduring cultural contribution
Latest News, News
Prime Minister commends Father Ho Lung, Missionaries of the Poor for enduring cultural contribution
August 26, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Prime Minister Andrew Holness, has commended Father Richard Ho Lung and the Missionaries of the Poor for their enduring contributi...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Juliet Campbell appointed athletics director at St Jago
Latest News, Sports
Juliet Campbell appointed athletics director at St Jago
August 26, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaican Olympian and former St Jago star Juliet Campbell has been appointed athletics director of her alma mater. The 56-year-old...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Caribbean media encouraged to lead on AI development
Latest News, News
Caribbean media encouraged to lead on AI development
August 26, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Caribbean media organisations have been urged to play a leading role in shaping the region’s emerging artificial intelligence (AI)...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Tanya Weddemire Gallery makes armory show debut with O’Neil Scott, Austin Uzor
Entertainment, Latest News, News
Tanya Weddemire Gallery makes armory show debut with O’Neil Scott, Austin Uzor
August 26, 2026
Tanya Weddemire Gallery will make its inaugural presentation at The Armory Show 2026, featuring contemporary artists O’Neil Scott and Austin Uzor in a...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Man killed in three-vehicle crash in Trelawny
Latest News, News
Man killed in three-vehicle crash in Trelawny
August 26, 2026
TRELAWNY, Jamaica — One man has died from injuries sustained in a three-vehicle crash involving a truck, a minibus and a motorcar on the section of th...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
King Charles to visit Caribbean countries
Latest News, Regional
King Charles to visit Caribbean countries
August 26, 2026
LONDON (CMC) – Britain’s King Charles is to pay a visit to several Caribbean Community (Caricom) countries in October, as part of a week-long tour, Bu...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Flow Foundation donates $750,000 to three schools
Latest News, News
Flow Foundation donates $750,000 to three schools
August 26, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Flow Foundation is to donate $750,000 in book vouchers to three schools following the conclusion of its “Every Six Is a Give B...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
❮ ❯

Polls

HOUSE RULES

  1. We welcome reader comments on the top stories of the day. Some comments may be republished on the website or in the newspaper; email addresses will not be published.
  2. Please understand that comments are moderated and it is not always possible to publish all that have been submitted. We will, however, try to publish comments that are representative of all received.
  3. We ask that comments are civil and free of libellous or hateful material. Also please stick to the topic under discussion.
  4. Please do not write in block capitals since this makes your comment hard to read.
  5. Please don't use the comments to advertise. However, our advertising department can be more than accommodating if emailed: advertising@jamaicaobserver.com.
  6. If readers wish to report offensive comments, suggest a correction or share a story then please email: community@jamaicaobserver.com.
  7. Lastly, read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy

Recent Posts

Archives

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Tweets

Polls

Recent Posts

Archives

Logo Jamaica Observer
Breaking news from the premier Jamaican newspaper, the Jamaica Observer. Follow Jamaican news online for free and stay informed on what's happening in the Caribbean
Featured Tags
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Health
  • Auto
  • Business
  • Letters
  • Page2
  • Football
Categories
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Page2
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Page2
Ads
img
Jamaica Observer, © All Rights Reserved
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • RSS Feeds
  • Feedback
  • Privacy Policy
  • Editorial Code of Conduct