Accomplished classical pianist, emerging actor, and future entertainer Che Tafari, will make his Paramount+ debut in the upcoming film “Little Wing,” streaming March 13. The young teen has also starred in “8-Bit Christmas” and “Me Time” with Kevin Hart, Regina Hall, and Mark Wahlberg.
Now alongside Brian Cox, Kelly Reilly, and Brooklynn Prince, Tafari is expected to shine in this new coming-of-age story about Kaitlyn (played by Prince), trying to handle her parents’ divorce and the potential loss of their family home. Kaitlyn is drawn into the world of pigeon racing and brings her friend Adam (played by Tafari) along for the ride. In a recent interview with the Los Angeles Sentinel, Tafari talks about his passions and plans for his future professionally and academically.
Growing up Tafari always had access to esteemed instruments like the saxophone, trumpets, drums, guitars, and the piano. He recalls being drawn to the piano as a young child and later taking lessons where the techniques came naturally. His father is a hip hop producer with a vast music collection, his mother was a music and entertainment publicist working with Beyoncé and Erykah Badu, and his uncle is a professional drummer. Tafari’s appreciation for music was cultivated early and quickly became part of his purpose.
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Brian Cox, Kelly Reilly, More Join Paramount+ Movie ‘Little Wing’ (deadline.com)
“I love soul and 90s to present R&B. I’m a hip hop kid too, I listen to De La Soul, Tribe Called Quest, and Rakim. My dad samples so much music and listens to so many varieties like rock, metal, jazz, etc. Me and my music teacher, Tanisha Hall, are working on some classical and jazz music. One of my favorite moments is when Fernando Pullum took my band to the Catalina Jazz Club and we got to play with legends Shelia E and Peter Escovedo on stage.”
When asked about his favorite piano performance, Tafari shared a more recent event with the NAACP where he provided background music on the piano, and playing with his band at Catalina’s. At 14-years-old, his opportunities have kept him motivated and inspired.
South African director Dean Israelite, best known for his work on the 2017 Power Rangers movie, has brought a new refreshing plot to streaming. “Little Wing” highlights the sport of pigeon flying and explores the challenges adolescents face when they’re forced to deal with impactful changes in their lives. Tafari describes his experience filming as nothing short of pleasant.
“I really enjoyed myself filming, the director Dean Israelite was wonderful, he knows how to work with actors’ opinions. He was always open to some of the things I suggested but also let me know if something was a ‘no’ when I pushed the boundaries. It was really fun working with the cast and working with Brooklynn, she’s amazing.”
In the next five years Tafari has milestone goals that he hopes to accomplish, he shared, “I’m going to go to Morehouse College, I’m going to pledge Alpha Phi Alpha, I’m going to continue to act and music as well. I’m doing so much with music right now; Wynton Marsalis is mentoring me and I feel like I have all these opportunities why not continue to do it and I feel the same way with acting. Also, I love education, I love academics, I love being able to learn. I plan to get a PhD that’s something I dream of doing because nothing is impossible.”
Follow Che Tafari on Instagram at Che Tafari (@chetafari_) to keep up with him and his latest projects.
