Netflix has unveiled a first look at Chadwick Boseman’s final role for the upcoming film Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is based on the August Wilson play of the name. The film describes the story of trailblazing blues singer Ma Rainey, who is coming up in Chicago in 1927, and confronts issues of race, relationships and the exploitation of Black recording artists.
Boseman portrays a starry-eyed musician in 1920s Chicago.
Viola Davis plays Ma Rainey.
When asked by The New York Times about her experience working with Chadwick Boseman on the film, Davis said, “A lot of actors mistake their presence for the event. An actor of Chadwick’s status usually comes on and it’s their ego who comes on before them: This is what they want, this is what they’re not going to do. That was absolutely, 150 percent off the table with Chadwick. He could completely discard whatever ego he had, whatever vanity he had, and welcome Levee in.”
Boseman passed away a few weeks ago after a battle with colon cancer.