Posted by | Ray Cornelius
Indie Wire is reporting that The Help’s director Tate Taylor is eyeing actresses Octavia Spencer and Viola Davis for the upcoming biopic about the Godfather of Soul, James Brown.
Earlier this week, we reported that 42 star Chadwick Boseman had been cast as the film’s lead beating out Eddie Murphy and Wesley Snipes. Now it’s being said that Taylor is looking at the two award-winning actresses for supporting parts in the film that is schedule to start shooting in Mississippi this fall.
If cast, this would be the second film the two ladies would have starred in together since 2011’s blockbuster film, The Help. Davis received an academy award nomination for Best Actress and Spencer walked away with an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.
The untitled project will chronicle Brown’s life from his early days growing up in Georgia to his meteoric rise to international superstardom. The project has been penned by Jez and John Henry Butterworth and has reportedly been in the works for over a decade. Spike Lee was attached to the film as its director until earlier this year when he was replaced by Taylor. The film is also being produced by Brian Gazer as well as British rocker, Mick Jagger and his company, Jagged Films.
RC will keep you posted as more of this story develops.
Photo Credit: Blackfilm.com
