Regina King is set to star in and produce Shirley, the biopic of the first Black Congresswoman and the first Black woman to run for President of the U.S. for the Democratic Party, Shirley Chisolm.
Directed by John Ridley, Shirley tells the story of trailblazing political icon Shirley Chisholm (King) and the cost of accomplishment for Shirley herself. It will draw on exclusive and extensive conversations with Chisholm’s family and friends, following her amidst her boundary-breaking and historic presidential campaign.
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It will highlight Chisholm’s 1972 presidential campaign and give an “intimate, behind-the-scenes portrait of the ground-breaking political leader during a seminal period in modern American history.”
Lance Reddick, Lucas Hedges, André Holland, Terrence Howard, Christina Jackson, Michael Cherrie, Dorian Missick, Amirah Vann, W. Earl Brown, and newcomer Ethan Jones Romero have also been cast in the film. However, details on their character have yet to be revealed.
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Shirley comes from writer-director John Ridley, Participant and Regina King’s Royal Ties Productions, which has landed at Netflix.
Ridley is producing alongside Anikah McLaren and Elizabeth Haggard for Participant, and Regina King and Reina King for Royal Ties Productions. Jeff Skoll and Ted Gidlow are exec producing.
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Participant will also be shepherding an impact campaign tied to Shirley, as part of its ongoing commitment to advancing civic engagement and social justice.
Production on the film has begun in Cincinnati.