While doing press for her upcoming film, Proud Mary, Taraji P. Henson confirmed that she will be producing and starring in a film based on the life of the late Emmett Till.

For those who are unfamiliar with Till’s story, Till was 14-years-old when he was brutally murdered in Mississippi after a caucasian woman said she was offended by Till in her family’s grocery store. The men convicted of the murder were acquitted of the charges brought against them. Till’s killing served to further highlight the long history of brutality against African-Americans in the USA.

In the film, Henson will play Till’s mother, Mamie Till Bradley and John Singleton (Boyz n the Hood, Poetic Justice, Four Brothers) would be directing. This will mark the fourth time that Henson and Singleton have worked together. In past Singleton directed Henson in Baby Boy, produced the film Hustle & Flow which Henson starred in and he also directed an episode of Empire.

As of right now, the title of the film and potential release dates have not been revealed, and no further details about the biopic have been confirmed aside from Henson starring and Singleton directing. Henson said, “We don’t have a start date yet, but the deal definitely has been done. That’s one [film] that I’ve been passionate about since Trayvon Martin was murdered.”

Will you be watching the Emmett Till biopic when it’s released? Be sure to let us know in the comment section below.

Source: Paste Magazine