Netflix has announced a new scripted limited series titled Colin in Black & White, which will chronicle “the adolescent life of all-star athlete and activist Colin Kaepernick.”
The series is coming from Academy Award nominee and Emmy Award winner Ava DuVernay (Selma, 13th) and it will focus on Kaepernick’s high school years, offering us “meaningful insight into the acts and experiences that led him to become the activist he is today.”
The series is being written by Michael Starrbury and Kaepernick will appear as himself as the narrator of the series. Here’s the synopsis from Netflix:
The six-episode series, which was conceived in 2019 and recently completed writing in May, provides an introspective look at Kaepernick’s early life as a Black child growing up with a white adopted family and his journey to become a great quarterback while defining his identity. The limited series reunites Starrbury and DuVernay who last worked together on Netflix’s acclaimed When They See Us, which received 16 Emmy Award Nominations, including a nomination for Outstanding Writing for the duo and was recently honored with a Peabody Award.
DuVernay said in a statement:
“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. 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.”
Kaepernick offered his thoughts on the series, saying:
“Too often we see race and Black stories portrayed through a white lens. 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.”
Cindy Holland, vice president of original content for Netflix added:
“We’re proud to bring Colin’s experience and his creative vision to life as he joins Ava to share his powerful story and message with all our members around the world. It is an unparalleled union of two strong and defining voices coming together to tell the story about what it’s like to be Black in America.”
There are a lot of different views and opinions on Kaepernick, but getting some insight into his life and how he grew up might help in understanding him a little more. It’ll be interesting to see how this series is received by audiences.