Paul Giamatti to star as NWA manager in Straight Outta Compton

Jerry Heller was one of the driving forces behind the group's success

Hollywood Paul Giamatti will play Jerry Heller (Getty Images)

Paul Giamatti will be taking on the role of NWA’s controversial manager Jerry Heller in Straight Outta Compton, a new biopic about the rap group.

Heller was a music industry veteran before managing NWA, having brought Elton John and Pink Floyd to the US on their first major American tours.

He also represented a slew of stars, including Marvin Gaye, Tina Turner and Black Sabbath.

Heller's role was instrumental in the group’s success but he was also been accused of splitting them up.

The music mogul is thought to have been key in bringing West Coast rap music to the mainstream.

Straight Outta Compton will star Aldis Hodge as MC Ren, Jason Mitchell as Eazy-E, Corey Hawkins as Dr Dre, Neil Brown Jr. as Yella, Ice Cube’s son O'Shea Jackson Jr. will be playing a young version of his father.

The film will be directed by F. Gary Gray and follows the band’s meteoric rise to fame from starting out on the streets Compton, California. The title of the biopic is taken from NWA’s debut album, which was released in 1988.

Former NWA member Ice Cube tweeted back in June that the film would be released on 15 August 2015 and has been sharing images from the set.