Oscar®–winning actress Regina King has added some star power to her upcoming movie, One Night In Miami. As previously reported, The story chronicles the night R&B soul singer Sam Cooke got together with NFL icon and film legend Jim Brown, Civil Rights icon Malcolm X and rising boxer extraordinaire Cassius Clay aka Muhammad Ali. It is also based on the 2013 play of the same name written by Kemp Powers.
Joining King on this amazing journey are Aldis Hodge, who will portray Jim Brown; Leslie Odom Jr., who will play Sam Cooke, Kingsley Ben-Adir will portray Malcolm X and Eli Goree is Cassius Clay aka Muhammad Ali.
Set on the night of February 25, 1964, the story follows a young Cassius Clay as he emerges from the Miami Beach Convention Center as the World Heavyweight Boxing Champion. Against all odds, he’s defeated Sonny Liston and shocked the world of boxing. While crowds of people swarm Miami Beach’s hotspots to celebrate the match, Clay — unable to stay on the island because of Jim Crow-era segregation laws — spends the night at the Hampton House Motel in Miami’s Overtown neighborhood celebrating with three of his friends: activist Malcolm X, singer Sam Cooke and football star Jim Brown. The next morning, the men emerge determined to define a new world. In One Night in Miami, Powers aims to pinpoint exactly what happened during those pivotal hours. Featuring the music of Cooke, including his hit song, “A Change Is Gonna Come,” the film offers a piercing narrative for the evening, which challenges the four men, strips them bare and reveals them for who they were.
“One Night in Miami is a love letter to Black manhood that powerfully explores themes of race, identity and friendship,” said King in a statement to DEADLINE.“Each of them has contributed so much to culture and history. We’re so excited to have Kingsley, Eli, Aldis and Leslie in the lead roles showing a different side of these iconic men.”
Stay tuned…