Chadwick Boseman was one of the most versatile actors of our time. He played historical Black figures, a Marvel superhero, a pontificating soldier, and a hilarious host. Sadly, he passed away earlier this year. But Netflix’s ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom‘ will give fans and subscribers a chance to his final performance. In the film, he plays a trumpeter playing alongside the legendary “Mother of the Blues” Ma Rainey (Academy Award® winner Viola Davis).
There’s no doubt that Netflix will be campaigning heavily for ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’ during the Awards season. Davis loses herself in the title role. So much so, it’s hard to believe that it’s her. Meanwhile, Boseman has this irresistible charm that refuses to be denied. One can’t help but shed a few tears, knowing that the film is his final one. One has to wonder if Netflix will campaign for the Best Supporting Actor award on Boseman’s behalf. We will have to wait and see.
Here’s the official plot synopsis for ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom:’
“Tensions and temperatures rise over the course of an afternoon recording session in 1920s Chicago as a band of musicians await trailblazing performer, the legendary “Mother of the Blues,” Ma Rainey (Academy Award® winner Viola Davis). 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. As the band waits in the studio’s claustrophobic rehearsal room, ambitious trumpeter Levee (Chadwick Boseman) — 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.
Adapted from two-time Pulitzer Prize winner August Wilson’s play, MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM celebrates the transformative power of the blues and the artists who refuse to let society’s prejudices dictate their worth.”
‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’ also stars Glynn Turman, Colman Domingo, Michael Potts, Jonny Coyne, Taylour Paige, Jeremy Shamos, Dusan Brown, Joshua Harto.
The trailer teases how artists make sacrifices in order to get to where they want to go, how they and others perceive natural talent, and how the white gatekeepers of 1920 will exploit that same talent for financial gain.
Based on the two-time Pulitzer Prize winner August Wilson’s play of the same name, ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’ is directed by George C. Wolfe and produced by Denzel Washington. It is scheduled to make its debut exclusively on Netflix on December 18, 2020.
