Four years ago, Channing Godfrey Peoples announced herself as one of the most exciting young filmmakers working today, thanks to her directorial debut, “Miss Juneteenth.” However, since then, we haven’t gotten a sophomore feature from her. Instead, she’s directed episodes of TV shows such as “Genius,” “Generation,” and “Roar.” But that’s soon going to change, as she is set to direct “Otis & Zelma,” and she’s found her lead actors.
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According to Variety, John Boyega and Danielle Deadwyler have signed on to play the title characters in Channing Godfrey Peoples’ new film, “Otis & Zelma.” As the title teases, “Otis & Zelma” tells the remarkable true story of Otis Redding and his wife, Zelma Redding. The film will chronicle Redding’s rise to fame and how his life was tragically cut short at the age of 26, leaving behind Zelma and their children.
Boyega is primarily known for his role in the ‘Star Wars’ franchise. However, more recently, Boyega has made some truly interesting career choices with films such as “Breaking,” “The Woman King,” and “They Cloned Tyrone.”
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Deadwyler, on the other hand, has been working at a crazy pace, with no less than five films scheduled to be released this year. Her most notable films include, “The Piano Lesson,” “Till,” and “The Harder They Fall.”
It’s unclear when filming on “Otis & Zelma” will begin, but the report does say the estate for Otis Redding has offered its full support for the project. Hopefully, filming will begin sooner rather than later.