Michael B. Jordan is now being considered for Forest Whitaker’s independent film about a man shot and killed by Bay Area police in 2009.
Fruitvale tells the story of Oscar Grant, a 22 year old black man that was detained on New Year’s Day of 2009 by police officers at the Fruitvale station, and then murdered with a gun shot wound to the back. The event was captured on many cell phone cameras and despite video evidence the ‘not guilty’ verdict caused protests and riots.
Jordan is best known for his role in Friday Nights Lights and Chronicle, and will co-star alongside Oscar winner Octavia Spencer if the deal goes through. Spencer is set to lead as the protective mother of the murdered young man. The actress recently won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in The Help.
Fruitvale will be Ryan Coogler’s debut as writer and director of the project, and is entrusted by Forest Whitaker and his production partner Nina Yang. The film comes together in the midst of the Trayvon Martin case, an unarmed black teenager that was gunned down by a self proclaimed neighborhood watchman.
Filming is planned to begin in July in northern California.
Warning graphic video footage of the actual fatal shooting on the next page
Other news on Who Got The Role:
