Netflix is bringing together two icons for their new project “Colin In Black & White.”
The streaming service announced award-winning director Ava DuVernay is teaming up with former NFL player Colin Kaepernick to produce a six-episode series on the athlete’s high school experience.
He would grow up to play in the Super Bowl and realize you never stop fighting for your dreams.
She would grow up to tell stories that matter to millions.
From @Kaepernick7 & @ava, the dramatic scripted series Colin In Black & White follows the H.S. years of Colin Kaepernick. pic.twitter.com/eb75RkuW2H
— Netflix (@netflix) June 29, 2020
“He would grow up to play in the Super Bowl and realize you never stop fighting for your dreams. She would grow up to tell stories that matter to millions,” Netflix wrote alongside throwback photos of the stars. “From @Kaepernick7 & @ava, the dramatic scripted series Colin In Black & White follows the H.S. years of Colin Kaepernick.”
The series will focus on the former San Francisco 49ers’ journey as a Black child adopted into a white family, and how this identity shaped his future role in the ongoing Black Lives Matter movement. The 32-year-old famously sparked controversy when he began kneeling at the start of NFL games during the national anthem.
This act of courage is one of the reasons Ava was interested in partnering with the athlete.
“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,” DuVernay said in a statement. “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.”
Colin himself will serve as narrator of the series in addition to executive producing.
“Too often we see race and Black stories portrayed through a white lens. 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,” Kaepernick said.
Michael Starrbury, who worked on the award-winning show “When They See Us,” will serve as the series’ co-executive producer.