Insecure Showrunner/EP Prentice Penny To Make Directorial Debut ‘Uncorked’ For Netflix Posted by Wilson Morales
November 7, 2018
Netflix has announced that Insecure showrunner/EP Prentice Penny will make his feature directorial debut with Uncorked.
Starring Mamoudou Athie (Patti Cake$, The Front Runner), Niecy Nash (Claws) and Courtney B. Vance (Ben is Back), Uncorked is a father/son story about love, sacrifice and following your heart and is loosely based on Penny’s own family history.
Fueled by his love of wine, a young man strives to become a master sommelier while dealing with his father’s expectations that he’ll take over the family barbecue business.
Principal photography will begin on November 10th in Memphis, Tennessee. Filming will also take place in Paris, France.
“It’s rare that Black people get to tell a father-son story without the father’s absence serving as the catalyst for the story. That was never my experience and I think it’s more important than ever that art reflects our humanity and who we are as regular people, rather than just being defined by the color of our skin or the trauma that has happened to us. I’m incredibly grateful to Netflix and our entire producing team for not only understanding that vision, but for wholeheartedly supporting it too. To be able to tell this story, inspired by the relationship I have with my own father, is exciting for so many reasons; and to have actors like Mamoudou, Courtney and Niecy, each talented beyond measure, on board to bring this story to life with me is beyond my wildest dreams for this project,” stated Penny.
Penny and Datari Turner will produce alongside Chris Pollack of Forge Media, Jason Michael Berman of Mandalay Pictures, and Jill Ahrens, Ryan Ahrens and Ben Renzo of Argent Pictures. Veronica Nickel will executive produce with Mandalay’s Patrick Raymond, while Jamie Moore and Will Raynor will serve as co-producers. A quartet of athletes are also involved with Uncorked, as Drew Brees, Tony Parker, Michael Finley and Derrick Brooks will serve as co-executive producers on the project, which starts filming on Nov. 10 in Memphis, Tennessee before the production moves to Paris, France.
Penny currently serves as showrunner and executive producer of HBO’s Insecure, which recently wrapped its third season. He has also directed numerous episodes of the acclaimed series. Penny’s other credits include FOX’s Brooklyn Nine-Nine, ABC’s Happy Endings and UPN’s Girlfriends, among others. He also created and executive produced the TV series The Hustle for Fuse Network.
Athie is currently on the big screen opposite Hugh Jackman in The Front Runner and recently co-starred opposite Elizabeth Olsen in the Facebook Watch series Sorry For Your Loss. His other film credits include Patti Cake$, The Circle with Emma Watson and playing Grandmaster Flash on Baz Luhrmann‘s Netflix series The Get Down. Upcoming films include Brie Larson‘s directorial debut Unicorn Store and the action-thriller Underwater with Kristen Stewart.
Nash currently stars on TNT, Claws. Best known for role on the TV series Reno 911, her feature credits include Downsizing and Selma. She is reteaming with the latter film’s director Ava DuVernay on the Netflix miniseries Central Park Five.
Vance will next be seen opposite Julia Roberts in the drama Ben Is Back.
