Casting News: Cuba Gooding Jr., Octavia Spencer, and Quvenzhané Wallis

Cuba Gooding, Jr./Photo Credit: cinemur.fr

Posted by | Ray Cornelius

Indie Wire is reporting that Oscar-winning actors Louis Gossett, Jr. and Cuba Gooding Jr. are set to star in a film adaptation of The Book of Negroes. The project will be spearheaded by Canadian filmmaker Clement Virgo with plans to air it on BET.

Based on Lawrence Hill’s award-winning best seller, The Book of Negroes  tells the story of Aminata Diallo, a West African slave who is abducted and forced to live in the United States. Somehow, Diallo forges her way to freedom and serves with the British in Revolutionary War, registering her name in the historic “Book of Negroes.” It’s a living document of slaves who requested permission to leave the US for resettlement in Nova Scotia.

The film will also star Aunjanue Ellis, Lyriq Bent, Ben Chaplin, Allan Hawko and Jane Alexander.  BET will air it during the 2014/2015 TV Season.

In other casting news…

Oscar-winning actress Octavia Spencer and Oscar-nominated actress Quvenzhané Wallis will star alongside Russell Crowe and Amanda Seyfried in the drama, Fathers and Daughters.

According to IMDB, Fathers and Daughters  is about a woman struggling with relationship issues who reflects on growing up with her famous novelist father.

Indie Wire reports that Crowe will play the lead while Seyfried will play the present–day adult daughter.  Spencer will star as the head of a psych clinic where Seyfried’s character counsels trouble children while Wallis plays a little girl who hasn’t spoken a word for a year since her mother was killed.

RC will keep you posted as these television and film projects continue to develop.

Photo Credit: latimes.com