Billy Porter to Star in James Baldwin Biopic

Billy Porter is preparing to portray the author and civil rights activist James Baldwin in an upcoming biopic.

He will also co-write the untitled movie with Dan McCabe, which will be adapted from the 1994 book “James Baldwin: A Biography” by David Leeming. An emeritus professor of English at the University of Connecticut, Leeming was well versed in Baldwin as his friend of 25 years as well as his assistant.

Porter says it has been a career-long dream to tell the story of Baldwin on film. Born in Harlem in 1924, Baldwin was a Black gay writer whose influential works include “Go Tell It on the Mountain,” “Notes of a Native Son” and “If Beale Street Could Talk.” In addition to writing, Baldwin fought for racial justice in the U.S. civil rights movement. In Leeming’s book, he’s described as a “complex, troubled, driven, and brilliant man” who has a “gift for compassion and love.”

“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,” Porter said. “I stand on James Baldwin’s shoulders, and I intend to expand his legacy for generations to come.”

Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group Motion Pictures will executive produce the film with Carolyn Folks, Jennifer Lucas, Matthew Signer, and Chris Charalambous. Billy Porter and D.J. Gugenheim of Incognegro Productions will serve as producers.

“We at Allen Media Group Motion Pictures are extremely passionate about sharing James Baldwin’s phenomenal story with the world,” said Allen, the founder, chairman and CEO of Allen Media Group. “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, an Emmy winner for “Pose” and Tony winner for producing “A Strange Loop,” recently appeared alongside Camila Cabello in director Kay Cannon’s “Cinderella” remake. On television, he acted on “The Twilight Zone” for CBS All Access, “American Horror Story: Apocalypse” and narrated HBO Max’s “Equal.” Porter made his directorial debut with the high school coming-of-age film “Anything’s Possible” written by Alvaro García Lecuona. And he’s already lined up his next directing gig, helming queer teen comedy “To Be Real” from Gabrielle Union’s I’ll Have Another Productions.

McCabe is a New York-based screenwriter and playwright, whose works include “The Purists” (which Porter directed), as well as “Blame the Parents.” He and Porter also worked together on the original Peacock TV series “Fruits of Thy Labour” with producer Greg Berlanti. McCabe’s feature “The Home” is currently in development at Paramount.

Read More About:

Source: Read Full Article