The late 'Black Panther' actor portrayed Ma Rainey's band member Levee, an ambitious, yet under-appreciated trumpeter who aspires to make his own mark in the Chicago music scene.
- Oct 20, 2020
AceShowbiz - Here's a new official look at Chadwick Boseman's final film "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom". Netflix has released the first trailer of the film starring the late actor and Viola Davis, after previously previewing it with some first-look photos.
In the upcoming drama based on the play of the same name by August Wilson, Boseman portrayed Ma Rainey's band member Levee, an ambitious trumpeter who aspires to make his own mark in the Chicago music scene by putting a contemporary spin on old-fashioned songs. Yet, his works are under-appreciated by his own colleagues and white music executives, leading to some emotional moments in the trailer.
Davis takes on the title role, who is described as the legendary "Mother of the Blues." Set in 1920s, the movie centers on a fateful recording session of "Mother of the Blues" as tensions rise between Ma Rainey, her ambitious horn player and the white management determined to control the legendary "Mother of the Blues".
"Late to the session, the fearless, fiery Ma engages in a battle of wills with her white manager and producer over control of her music," according to the official synopsis. "As the band waits in the studio's claustrophobic rehearsal room, ambitious trumpeter Levee - who has an eye for Ma's girlfriend and is determined to stake his own claim on the music industry - spurs his fellow musicians into an eruption of stories revealing truths that will forever change the course of their lives."
Boseman was battling colon cancer while filming "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom", though none of the production crew and his co-stars knew about it. He completed the production before his passing on August 28. He was 43.
George C. Wolfe directs the film, with Ruben Santiago-Hudson writing the script. Denzel Washington co-produces it with Todd Black and Dany Wolf. Glynn Turman, Colman Domingo and Michael Potts are also among the cast members.
"Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" is set to be released December 18 on Netflix.
