‘Black Spartans’: ‘P-Valley’ Star J. Alphonse Nicholson Boards Football Drama From Director Ben Cory Jones

EXCLUSIVE: J. Alphonse Nicholson (P-Valley) has signed on to star alongside Neal McDonough and Casey Cott in the sports drama Black Spartans from writer-director Ben Cory Jones (Insecure). The pic is set to shoot in Atlanta this fall.

Exploring the explosive era of the mid-1960s where social upheaval paved the way for a new order in college football, Jones’ feature directorial debut tells the story of the first fully integrated college football team. The film is inspired by the Michigan State Spartans coached by Duffy Daugherty, which forever changed the face of the sport.

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A Greensboro, North Carolina native, Nicholson will portray Fayetteville, North Carolina’s Jimmy Raye, who became the first Black quarterback from the South to win a national championship, as part of the 1966 Michigan State team.

Jones, McDonough, Cott, David Brown, Rochelle Claerbaut, Ruve McDonough, Justin Oates-Marable and Jimmy V will produce Black Spartans, with Cory Wharton serving as executive producer.

Nicholson is best known for his starring role as aspiring rapper Lil’ Murda on Starz’s drama series P-Valley. Additional TV credits include Blue Bloods, Mr. Robot, Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker, Shots Fired, Marvel’s Luke Cage, Tales, The Blacklist and Chicago P.D. The actor recently played private C.J. Memphis in the Tony-winning Broadway play A Soldier’s Play, and also was seen in Destin Daniel Cretton’s Warner Bros drama Just Mercy. Other upcoming projects for Nicholson include Juel Taylor’s Netflix sci-fi comedy They Cloned Tyrone with Jamie Foxx and John Boyega, and Calmatic’s reboot of White Men Can’t Jump for 20th Century Studios.

Nicholson is repped by AC Management, CESD and Jackoway Austen Tyerman.

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