Jaden Michael will star as a young Colin Kaepernick in Netflix’s limited series, Colin in Black & White. Michael will play the NFL star/activist during his formative years in high school.
The six-episode limited series was created by Oscar nominee Ava DuVernay and Colin Kaepernick. DuVernay will direct the series’ first episode and serves as an executive producer along with Kaepernick and Michael Starrbury. Emmy nominee Starrbury is writing the series and Kaepernick will be involved as the narrator.
“With his act of protest, Colin Kaepernick ignited a national conversation about race and justice with far-reaching consequences for football, culture and for him, personally,” stated DuVernay when the series was announced in June 2020. “Colin’s story has much to say about identity, sports and the enduring spirit of protest and resilience. I couldn’t be happier than to tell this story with the team at Netflix.”
“Too often we see race and Black stories portrayed through a white lens,” said Kaepernick. “We seek to give new perspective to the differing realities that Black people face. We explore the racial conflicts I faced as an adopted Black man in a white community, during my high school years. It’s an honor to bring these stories to life in collaboration with Ava for the world to see.”
Jaden Michael’s credits include Todd Haynes’ Wonderstruck, Baz Lurhmann’s The Get Down, and Custody starring Viola Davis and Ellen Burstyn.
Netflix hasn’t confirmed a series premiere date.
Colin In Black & White Description, Courtesy of Netflix:
The six-episode series will provide an introspective look at Kaepernick’s adolescent years as a Black teen growing up with a white adopted family. It will follow his journey to become a great quarterback while defining his identity and lending meaningful insight into the acts and experiences that led him to become the activist he is today.
