Black Panther and Us star Winston Duke will be stepping into the role of political activist Marcus Garvey soon, The Root has learned.
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Deadline reports that the upcoming drama, titled Marked Man, was partially inspired by Negro with a Hat: The Rise and Fall of Marcus Garvey, a biography written by Colin Grant. Acclaimed playwright Kwame Kwei-Armah will pen the script with Andrew Dosunmu set to direct. Grey’s Anatomy star Jesse Williams and She’s Gotta Have It star DeWanda Wise are also in talks to star alongside Duke. The drama will also be going the route of this season’s Judas and The Black Messiah and The United States vs. Billie Holiday, meaning it will largely tell the story of famed political figure Garvey through the eyes of the man sent to betray him. The official description per Deadline: “Set in the 1920s, Marked Man follows a young Black man who joins J. Edgar Hoover’s Federal Bureau of Investigation and then infiltrates Garvey’s UNIA organization, testing his loyalty to both race and country as he grows weary of both men’s actions.”
Mark Gordon Pictures’ Mark Gordon and Jackson Pictures’ Matt Jackson will produce along with Glendon Palmer. Jackson Picture’s Joanne Lee, Robert Teitel and Kwei-Armah will executive produce.
“Man, where do I begin,” Duke captioned in a post to Instagram. “As a Caribbean immigrant, activist, and global citizen, one of the most seminal stories in my development has been the words and works of Marcus Garvey. Today I am blessed to announce that I have the opportunity to bring his story to life, along with a kick-ass crew of collaborators.”
“It’s not lost on me how important and meaningful this is, not only for the generations that already know his contributions to the Black liberation landscape but for those who have yet to know and embrace him and what he stood for. Can’t wait to step into this one and bring you all along for the amazing journey.”
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