Posted by | Ray Cornelius
The life and career of tennis legend Arthur Ashe may be coming to the big screen in the near future. According to Deadline, writer Krystin Ver Linden and film producers Russell Hollander, John Schoenfelder and Russell Ackerman are teaming up for a project about Ashe and are currently shopping it around to studios.
“ASHE,” would put a spotlight on the late tennis player’s personal and professional life as the first African-American to win the men’s singles at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, and the first African-American man to be ranked No. 1 in the world. It would also focus on his HIV diagnosis from a blood transfusion in 1992 and his heroic activism that followed including the establishment of The Arthur Ashe Foundation and his protest of America’s treatment of Haitian refugees. Ashe passed away on February 6, 1993 from AIDS-related pneumonia and was later awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously by then United States President Bill Clinton.
There is currently no actor attached to the film project. However, S&A is reporting that “Soul Food” star and former tennis player, Boris Kodjoe has expressed an interest in portraying his tennis idol in feature length film.
RC will keep you posted as “ASHE” continues to develop.
Photo Credit: Fox Sports