Danai Gurira to star as political trailblazer in ‘The Fighting Shirley Chisholm’

Viola Davis was previously attached to the project.

Nov 12, 2020

It looks like Danai Gurira will be starring as Shirley Chisholm in the upcoming film about the political trailblazer.

The incredible story of the the nation’s first Black congresswoman is certainly one to pay attention to and the film, The Fighting Shirley Chisholm, will follow her history-making presidential run in 1972.

Cherien Dabis is set to direct the film from a script by Adam Countee. Stephanie Allain will produce through her Homegrown Pictures banner, along with Gabrielle Ebron serving as an executive producer.

Gurira will star in the film that follows Chisholm’s groundbreaking campaign and highlights how “the Chisholm Trail was populated by young people who sought social and political change during one of the most turbulent times in American history.”

According to Deadline, the film is ”less a biopic than a snapshot of Chisholm’s groundbreaking campaign, as the first Black female in Congress became the first woman and the first person of color to seek a major American political party’s presidential nomination. Her run challenged the status quo through her efforts to gain enough delegates to speak for the people at the Democratic National Convention.”

Back in 2018, Viola Davis was attached to the project and expected to star in it and produce the film for Amazon under her JuVee Productions imprint. While that plan didn’t work out, we’re not mad at the new direction. We’ve already seen an incredible portrayal of the icon thanks to the incredible work of Uzo Adubo in FX’s series Mrs. America. The actress earned herself an Emmy for Best Supporting Actress for the role, so Gurira already has her work cut out.

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