viola davis, chadwick boseman to star in ‘ma rainey’s black bottom’ adaptation

Netflix is really comin’ in clutch with its original programming. And next up is a screen adaptation of August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. Produced by thee Denzel Washington, Viola Davis will star alongside Chadwick Boseman in the recently announced film, with Emmy-winner Glynn Turman, Tony- and Olivier-nominee Colman Domingo with Michael Potts joining the cast as well.

The story centers around the legendary Black queer blues performer Ma Rainey, as she records new music in a Chicago recording studio and tensions boil over between Ma, her bandmates, and white record executives.

The film is being helmed by George C. Wolfe, a Tony-winning director who you might recognize for his work on The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Ruben Santiago-Hudson (The Devil’s Advocate, American Gangster) will be scripting the adaption.

This is both Davis and Washington’s second time adapting August Wilson for the screen, having co-starred in 2016’s Fences.