Eminem Lands First Major Actor Role Since 8 Mile

In a statement to The Wrap, 50 Cent - whose real name is Curtis Jackson, said: "I'm honoured and appreciative of my good friend Em for supporting my new show BMF.

"We couldn't do a show based in Detroit without incorporating the legend that is Eminem."

Jackson also posted a tweet in which he said he'd used the same 'de-aging' technology used in Martin Scorsese's The Irishman to take the rapper 'back to his teenage years'.

BMF is based on the story of brothers , Demetrius 'Big Meech' and Terry 'Southwest T' Flenory, who were well-known on the streets of Detroit during the 1980s.

The pair would go on to create one of the biggest crime families in the US.

The character Eminem is set to play - Wershe Jr was a member of a Detroit gang, selling drugs and guns.

He worked as an informant between the ages of 14 and 16, but aged 17 he was dropped by the FBI and sentenced to life in prison for possession of cocaine.

Wershe Jr, whose story featured in the 2017 documentary , was paroled and released in June last year - he is now 52-years-old.

The role will be a return to acting for Eminem, who starred in semi-autobiographical flick 8 Mile, which came out in 2002.

The rapper has also had small roles in numerous TV shows and movies - including The Interview, Funny People and Entourage - where he's often made a cameo appearance as himself.

Speaking to Jonathan Ross in 2010, Eminem refused to rule out further appearances in front of the camera.

He told the host: "You know, I love music so much. This is my passion, this is what I want to do. Not saying that I won't do a movie ever again, but this is me."

BMF will premiere on 26 September on Starz.