Production Has Begun on Ava DuVernay’s MLK Biopic ‘Selma’

Production Has Begun on Ava DuVernay’s MLK Biopic ‘Selma’Posted by Wilson Morales

May 20, 2014

Paramount Pictures and Pathé today announced that principal photography has commenced on “SELMA,” directed by Ava DuVernay (“MIDDLE OF NOWHERE.”) The film is shooting in Atlanta, Georgia, and Montgomery and Selma, Alabama.

The screenplay was written by Paul Webb (“Four Nights in Knaresborough”). Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner will produce through their Plan B banner (“WORLD WAR Z,” “12 YEARS A SLAVE”), with Christian Colson through his Cloud Eight Films (“127 HOURS,” “SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE”), and Oprah Winfrey (“THE HUNDRED-FOOT JOURNEY,” “BELOVED”) through her Harpo Films. Ava DuVernay, Paul Garnes, Cameron McCracken and Nan Morales are executive producing.

“This story will resonate deeply with not only those brave men and women who fought for voting rights alongside Dr. King, but also the countless millions of people who continue to fight against discrimination in voting today,” said Brad Grey, Chairman and CEO of Paramount Pictures. “This talented group of filmmakers, led by Brad Pitt and his team at Plan B, Oprah Winfrey and Christian Colson, and of course our director Ava DuVernay, are a formidable force to help bring this significant story to the big screen.”

“SELMA” is the story of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s historic struggle to secure voting rights for all people – a dangerous and terrifying campaign that culminated with the epic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, and led to President Johnson signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Paramount is handling the film’s domestic distribution, Pathé will distribute in the UK and France and Pathé International will handle sales to the rest of the world.

The film stars David Oyelowo  as Martin Luther King Jr., Carmen Ejogo as his wife Coretta Scott King, Tom Wilkinson as President Lyndon B. Johnson, Short Term 12′s Keith Stanfield as Jimmie Lee Jackson, Lorraine Toussaint as civil rights activist Amelia Boynton (Robinson),  eight-time Grammy nominee artist Ledisi as the legendary gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, Tessa Thompson as Diane Nash, Colman Domingo playing the Reverend Ralph Abernathy, Andre Holland as politician Andrew Young, Omar J. Dorsey as James Orange, Common as James Bevel,  and The Closer’s Corey Reynolds as C. T. Vivian.

The behind-the-scenes creative team includes cinematographer Bradford Young (“MOTHER OF GEORGE,” “MIDDLE OF NOWHERE”), production designer Mark Friedberg (“THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2,” “Mildred Pierce”), and costume designer Ruth E. Carter (“AMISTAD,” “MALCOLM X”).