Ava DuVernay’s Colin Kaepernick limited series Colin in Black & White has found its lead.
The Get Down actor Jaden Michael will play a young Kaepernick in the upcoming Netflix series.
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,” according to the official description. “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.”
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The series was created by Kaepernick and DuVernay, and will feature Kaepernick as the narrator. DuVernay is set to direct the first episode. The show will also reunite DuVernay with her When They See Us collaborator Michael Starrbury, who will write and serve as executive producer.
“I never thought I would be casting a young me in a show about my life. I can’t wait for the world to see @ItsJadenMichael be an all-star on @netflix #ColinInBlackAndWhite,” Kaepernick tweeted Tuesday.
The quarterback became a free agent, after he sparked controversy in 2016 by taking a knee during the national anthem at NFL games in a protest against police violence and systemic racism.
He settled a multi-million dollar collusion lawsuit with the NFL in February 2019. The terms of that deal have never been made public.
