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Both music mogul Shawn Carter and Hollywood A-lister Will Smith are already on board for a TV mini-series about unintentional civil rights icon Emmett Till, and though both are known for achievements in other areas, it’s not the first time they’ve collaborated on a historical documentary together. Emmett Till’s name became pivotal in the success of the US civil rights movement as activists fought for equal justice and desegregation.
His body found floating in a Mississippi River in August 1955, the African American teenager from Chicago had been visiting relatives when he struck up conversation with a 21-year-old grocery store clerk whose husband later came after him.
The event proved inspirational for the civil rights movement, Rosa Parks initiating the Montgomery Bus Boycott four months later, and Till’s story is to be retold in a six-hour mini-series for HBO.
The Emmett Till biopic isn’t the first time that Will Smith (pictured below)and Jay-Z have worked in film together.
Both were executive producers on 2014’s “Annie”, a musical feature that enjoyed huge success at review and in cinemas.
It had Quvenzhané Wallis in the title role, and the young actress – already Oscar nominated for her debut in “Beasts of the Southern Wild” – went on to receive Golden Globe and Black Reel nominations for her performance.
Similarly, the Emmett Till project could be another chance for a young, fresh actor to shine in a high-profile production, however shortlived that appearance may be.
Though better known for other accomplishments, both Smith and Jay-Z are experienced producers.
Smith, one of cinema’s all-time top-grossing movie stars, has been in executive producer roles since his breakout on “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” in the 1990s, and while the Emmett Till biographical might be a departure from the norm, he has worked on civil rights material before, 2012’s International Documentary Association nominee “Free Angela and All Political Prisoners”.
As for Jay-Z, better known as music industry royalty, clothing line co-creator, and all-round entrepreneur, he was a producer on Baz Lurhmann’s “The Great Gatsby” and historical documentary “Black Sorority Project: The Exodus” which recounted the legacy of university sorority Delta Sigma Theta.
It was on documentary “Free Angela . . . ” that the pair first worked together in film.
Joining Jay-Z and Smith as producers is Aaron Kaplan, who successfully pitched the idea to both of them.
He comes from working on crime drama “Secrets and Lies” and family comedy “Instant Mom”.
James Lassiter is a long-time Will Smith collaborator, having worked with him since 2001 boxing biopic “Ali”; Jay Brown was another producer on “Annie”. – TMZ.
Online Reporter