Black Panther actress Danai Gurira has been tapped to star in the highly anticipated film The Fighting Shirley Chisholm. Gurira will co-star alongside Academy Award winner Viola Davis (Fences), who will be portraying “The Candidate of the People.”
Written by Adam Countee (Community, Silicon Valley), the film will follow the journey to the White House of politician and activist Shirley Chisholm.
Chisholm was the first woman and person of color to make a bid for a major party nomination during her run for president in 1972. Before that, in 1968, she was the first black woman elected to the U.S. Congress.
Major party nominations would elect Republican Richard Nixon and Democrat George McGovern as opponents for the presidential bid, with Nixon ultimately winning.
Cherien Dabis, who has directed episodes of Ozark, The Sinner, and Empire, will direct the film. Gabrielle Ebron will executive produce, alongside Davis, while Stephanie Allain of Homegrown Pictures will produce. The JuVee Production will be distributed by Amazon Studios per a first look deal, as first reported by Deadline.
The Fighting Shirley Chishom is perfectly timed to align with the recent history-making election that resulted in Sen. Kamala Harris’ ascension into the White House as the new Vice President of the United States.
Chisholm’s bold and transformative leadership in the political arena nearly 50 years ago is in no doubt a milestone that made it possible for a woman and person of color to be in one of the highest positions in U.S. government.
