Billy Porter and Dan McCabe are penning the screenplay for the upcoming James Baldwin biopic for Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group Motion Pictures. Porter will also have the opportunity to bring his long-standing dream of portraying the cultural icon to fruition.
The film will be based on David Leeming’s book “James Baldwin: A Biography,” which offers an intimate portrait of the gay, African American writer and civil rights activist. The book covers every aspect of Baldwin’s life, from his gift for compassion and love to the public pressures that overwhelmed his quest for happiness and his passionate battle for Black identity and racial justice.
The biopic will be produced by Incognegro Productions, with Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group Motion Pictures serving as executive producers.
In a statement, Allen expressed his passion for sharing James Baldwin’s story with the world and praised Billy Porter and Dan McCabe’s talent and commitment to amplifying Baldwin’s legacy and contributions.
Allen said, “We at Allen Media Group Motion Pictures are extremely passionate about sharing James Baldwin’s phenomenal story with the world. Billy Porter and Dan McCabe’s talent and commitment to amplifying James Baldwin’s legacy and contributions are invaluable and unmatched for this unique and epic story.”
Porter added, “As a Black queer man on this planet with relative consciousness, I find myself, like James Baldwin said, ‘in a rage all the time.’ I am because James was. I stand on James Baldwin’s shoulders, and I intend to expand his legacy for generations to come.”
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James Baldwin’s enduring cultural relevance has been demonstrated in recent years with projects like the Academy Award-nominated documentary “I Am Not Your Negro” and Barry Jenkins’ adaptation of Baldwin’s novel “If Beale Street Could Talk,” which won one Oscar from three nominations. Baldwin’s story continues to resonate, and the upcoming biopic promises to be a unique and epic portrayal of his life and legacy.
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