Oakland-set ‘Blindspotting’ to become television series
OAKLAND >> The cable network Starz on Thursday announced it has approved a series inspired by the 2018 Oakland-based feature film “Blindspotting.”
Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal, who wrote, produced and starred in the critically acclaimed movie, will be involved with the halfhour dramedy. They’ll both serve as writers and executive producers, and Casal will be the series showrunner, in addition to having a recurring role.
The series will be produced for Starz by Lionsgate Television.
The movie “Blindspotting,” which had its world premiere at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, explores racism, police violence and gentrification as viewed through the eyes of an ex-con on parole (Diggs) and his best friend (Casal).
The show will center on Ashley, played by Emmy nominee Jasmine Cephas Jones, who will reprise her role from the film. Ashley was nipping at the heels of a middle-class life in Oakland until Miles, her partner of 12 years and father of their son, is suddenly incarcerated, leaving her to navigate a chaotic and humorous existential crisis when she’s forced to move in with Miles’ mother and half sister.
“Let us put you up on game, bruh. No description will encompass the complexity of a ‘Blindspotting’ series, ya dig? So just get juiced, cuz it stars Jasmine Cephas Jones, it’s set in Oakland and we’re making it, so it’s lightweight finna to be hella good and the soundtrack will indeed slap. OH BOY!” said Casal and Diggs in a statement released by Starz.
“Rafael, Daveed and Jasmine created a beautiful film that we believe will translate perfectly into a compelling series for Starz,” said Christina Davis, president of original programming at Starz. “This provocative and powerful narrative couldn’t be more timely, and in picking up the story from Ashley’s perspective, we will be able to shine a light on so many of the important social issues that the characters and the audience continue to grapple with.”
Jones is known for her dual roles as Peggy Schuyler and Maria Reynolds in the Tony Award-winning Broadway hit “Hamilton,” in which she starred opposite Diggs. She also has appeared in “Girls” and “Midnight, Texas” and most recently “Mrs. Fletcher” and “#Freerayshawn” — for which she earned an Emmy nomination.
The approval for “Blindspotting” is the just the latest in a long line of show-biz achievements for Diggs and Casal, both of whom grew up in the East Bay. Diggs, best known for his Tony Award-winning dual role in “Hamilton,” currently stars in TNT’s futuristic thriller “Snowpiercer” and does voice work for the animated series “Central Park” on Apple TV+. This fall, he plays Frederick Douglass in the Showtime miniseries “The Good Lord Bird” and provides the voice for a major character in the latest Pixar feature film “Soul.”
Casal currently can be seen opposite Hugh Jackman in the Emmy-nominated HBO film “Bad Education” and “The Good Lord Bird.” He also currently is writing the feature script “First Sight,” which will be his feature directorial debut, and writing music for “Central Park.”