Watch: Trailer for Chadwick Boseman’s last film released

Chadwick Boseman’s posthumous release Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom just dropped its first trailer, reported Variety. The Netflix original, in which the late actor stars alongside Viola Davis, will be his very last film.

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is set in the back drop of Chicago’s blues scene in the late 1920s. Based on August Wilson’s award-winning play of the same name, it follows iconic blues singer Ma Rainey, portrayed by Davis. The story explores issues of race and the exploitation of Black recording artists, while also dealing with the characters’ relationship with music and each other.
The late Boseman portrays Ma’s band member Levee, an ambitious trumpeter who aspired to make his own mark in the Chicago music scene through a fresh and innovative take on traditional blues tunes.

In the trailer, the audience is given a glimpse into the conflicts the titular character is facing.  On one hand, Ma known to many as ‘Mother of the Blues,’ is seen engaging with her white manager and producer over the ownership of her music. On the other, Levee’s eccentricities, both on the music and personal front, seem to be troubling her.

The film is directed by George C Wolfe, who won Tony Awards for Broadway hits such as Angels in America: Millennium Approaches and the musical Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk. Wolfe also served as the artistic director of The Public Theater from 1993 to 2004.

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is scheduled to be released on December 18. Boseman, an actor whose work celebrated African-American pioneers and culture, died at age 43 after a four-year battle with colon cancer in August. Keeping audiences in the dark about his health, the Black Panther star worked through his treatment for much of his film career.

Boseman, a native of South Carolina who began his screen career in episodes of television dramas such as Third Watch, Law Order and ER, passed away at his home with his wife and family at his side, a statement on Twitter and Facebook said. It did not specify when he died. He resided in Los Angeles.

Boseman made his feature film debut with a small part in the 2008 sports biopic The Express, a drama based on the life of college football hero Ernie Davis, the first Black player to win the Heisman trophy.

There is a strong possibility that Netflix pushes for a posthumous Oscar nomination for Boseman in the Best Supporting Actor category. He may also have another Oscar contender with Spike Lee and Netflix’s Da 5 Bloods.

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Article source: https://tribune.com.pk/story/2269311/watch-trailer-for-chadwick-bosemans-last-film-released