Gabrielle Union and Octavia Spencer Just Announced They're Starring in This Buzzy Book Adaptation
If you love it when books get turned into major Hollywood films, get ready for your must-watch list to grow.
Deadline reports that Gabrielle Union and Octavia Spencer are officially signed on to hit the big screen together-and there’s plenty of reason to be excited. First, the new movie will be based on April Sinclair’s novel Coffee Will Make You Black, which follows a young Black woman named Jean “Stevie” Stevenson who comes of age in the '60s, when the civil rights movement took center stage and the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. left America rattled.
Not only are two powerhouse Black actresses joining forces on camera, but they’ll also be responsible for making the adaptation come to life behind the scenes. Teaming up with Tate Taylor and John Norris of Wyolah Films, Union will produce via her I’ll Have Another company, while Spencer will also produce through her own Orit Entertainment company. Deborah Riley Draper has signed up as director.
“A smart, funny, poignant coming-of-age film with a young black female protagonist is important to see,” Union said in a statement. “And it is equally important to see the complicated relationship between a Black mother and her daughter as they try to succeed and assimilate in a change-resistant America.”
Spencer also shared her two cents on the project. “There are so many unheard stories and voices in the African American community that speak to universal themes and the humanity in all of us,” she said. “I wanted to use my platform to create more opportunities for directors and writers of color to tell these stories. This project has women of color in lead roles in front of and behind the camera.”
While details about production and an official release haven’t been shared, there’s evidence that these two will knock it out of the park. Last year, Union starred in and produced the thriller Breaking In. And when Spencer last collaborated with Taylor, it was for The Help, which earned her the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.
Something tells us there’s gonna be a lot of buzz surrounding this one.
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