Netflix is giving viewers a look inside former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick‘s life as child with Colin in Black & White.
Set to debut on Friday, October 29th, the six-episode series, which is executive produced by Kaepernick, is modeled as a coming-of-age story about the football player’s youth.
Filmmaker Ava DuVernay is tapped to lead the project, whose story will focus on navigation through race, culture, and class as a Black child adopted into a white family. Jaden Michael will play 17-year-old Kaepernick, with Nick Offerman and Mary-Louise Parker playing the roles of his adoptive parents, Rick and Teresa Kaepernick.
Today (August 12), Netflix offers a preview into the series by releasing a series of still images from production. Kaepernick himself is included in these stills, cluing us that he will be serving as a present-day narrator.
“I’m excited to share this first peek into a project I co-created with the incomparable Ava DuVernay over the past couple of years,” Kaepernick said in a press release. “I look forward to the world meeting the incredible Jaden Michael, a young actor who plays me during my high school years, just a kid growing up in Turlock, California who wanted to play ball.”
The 33-year-old athlete, activist, and former quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers became a breakout star after playing six seasons in the NFL and bringing the 49ers to Super Bowl XLVII. In 2016, Kaepernick sparked the #TakeAKnee movement, as he began kneeling during the National Anthem before kickoff at NFL games to bring awareness to racial inequality and systemic racism in America. After the 2016 season, Kaepernick became a free agent and later went unsigned by other NFL teams. In November 2017, the former player filed a grievance with the NFL, claiming that they were conspiring to keep him out of the league, and later reached a settlement with the NFL in February 2019. Regardless of the settlement, the 33-year-old hasn’t been on the football field since the movement.
A statement from DuVernay emphasized her support of the athlete and his call for activism. She shared her excitement about getting to work together and collaborating on this important project.
“With his act of protest, Colin Kaepernick ignited a national conversation about race and justice with far-reaching consequences for football, culture and for him, personally,” said DuVernay. “Colin’s story has much to say about identity, sports and the enduring spirit of protest and resilience. I couldn’t be happier than to tell this story with the team at Netflix.”
“Too often we see race and Black stories portrayed through a white lens,” added Kaepernick. “We seek to give new perspective to the differing realities that Black people face. We explore the racial conflicts I faced as an adopted Black man in a white community, during my high school years. It’s an honor to bring these stories to life in collaboration with Ava for the world to see.”
Colin in Black & White is directed by DuVernay, Sheldon Candis, Robert Townsend, Angel Kristi Williams and Kenny Leon. DuVernay and Kaepernick serve as executive producers, along with Michael Starrbury.
Click through the gallery below to see the first-look images and let us know if you’re looking forward to watching Colin in Black & White by either leaving a reaction at the bottom of the post or by sending us a tweet at @celebsecrets.
