Colin Kaepernick’s adolescent life is getting the Netflix treatment. The former NFL star’s years in high school are being turned into a new scripted limited series, Netflix announced on Tuesday.
Colin in Black & White, from Kaepernick and Ava DuVernay, was conceived in 2019, and recently completed writing in May. The six-episode series will focus on Kaepernick’s teenage years and the meaningful experiences that led him to become the activist he is today, and take an introspective look at his early life as a Black child growing up in a white adopted family. Michael Starrbury will write and serve as executive producer, alongside DuVernay and Kaepernick, who will appear as himself as narrator of the series. Starrbury and DuVernay last worked together on When They See Us, which received 16 Emmy nominations, including a nomination for Outstanding Writing for the duo. It was also recently honored with a Peabody Award.
“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,” DuVernay said in a statement. “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.”
“Too often we see race and Black stories portrayed through a white lens,” Kaepernick said. “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, 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.”
