Eminem 'will surprise with his acting ability,' says film producer

Eminem will surprise audiences with his acting abilities in his movie debut, according to the film's producer.

The rapper stars in 8 Mile, which is produced by Brian Grazer.

It will be previewed in trailers shown at cinemas across the US from December 21.

8 Mile is loosely based on the life of Eminem. It is set in his home town Detroit, and depicts the upbringing of an aspiring star, www.dotmusic.com reports.

Producer Brian Grazer said the movie shows Eminem to be a more than capable actor.

Grazer said: "I liked him. I thought he was charismatic and could act, so I built a story that is, you know, in the world in which he came from - it's not his story.

"The guy is a workaholic. He did six weeks of rehearsal because Curtis Hanson (the director) insisted on it - because Curtis Hanson's life's betting on this guy's going to be good - and at night he's trying to make an album.

"I was very surprised. I think you'll be very surprised because the quality that's the most pronounced is innocence."