Harriet Tubman gets her biopic due in Harriet, the latest from director and co-writer Kasi Lemmons.
The legendary abolitionist led quite the life, and fitting it all into one movie would be a tall task. She escaped slavery, led others to freedom through the Underground Railroad, served in the American Civil War, and advocated for women’s suffrage. It seems unlikely that they will attempt to cover all of that here, but even if they only take on a slice of her life, the movie will be booking it from one extraordinary event to another.
Lemmons, who is probably best known for her debut feature, Eve’s Bayou, is the person to finally bring this long-planned project to the screen. Other Tubman biopics have languished in development hell, including one with the backing of Viola Davis, but Lemmons’ long, steady presence in Hollywood was enough to get it pushed into production.
Her Tubman will be played by Cynthia Erivo, a longtime theater actress who recently transitioned to movies with roles in Widows and Bad Times at the El Royale. In fact, the actress is only an Oscar away from an EGOT, and a prime role like this could bring the last of the hardware. Joining her are co-stars Leslie Odom Jr., Joe Alwyn, and Janelle Monáe.
With such a strong group behind it, hopefully this film can do Tubman justice.
Harriet is directed by Kasi Lemmons and stars Cynthia Erivo, Leslie Odom Jr., and Joe Alwyn. It will be released in the US on November 1st, 2019. For international release dates, click here.
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