The trailer release for Harriet, starring Cynthia Erivo as Harriet Tubman, has inspired and divided viewers. While some are eager to see the life of this historical figure come to our screens, others are planning to boycott the movie because Erivo is British, not American. They feel that casting someone who isn’t African American is an insult to Tubman’s legacy and heroism.
Wherever you stand on the issue, the trailer presents what appears to be a searing piece of cinema, and it is no coincidence that the movie has a release date in November – it is the perfect time to make an Oscar splash. Biopics are huge Oscar bait, which is no surprise that we have movies like A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood coming out in the same month.
The movie is directed by Kasi Lemmons, who has movies like Eve’s Bayou under her belt. She also co-wrote the script with Gregory Allen Howard, who has worked on screenplays for movies like Remember The Titans and Ali, which seems to bode well for the historical authenticity of this Harriet biopic. In an interview with Refinery29 back in February, Lemmons mentioned that her decision to focus on Tubman’s younger years is due to us mostly knowing her as an older person. “What she did when she was a young woman is quite extraordinary,” said Lemmons.
Harriet will hit our theatres November 1st, 2019.
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