Relatively unknown actor Chadwick Boseman is tapped to play the iconic baseball player in the upcoming biopic, while Ford is set to portray Hall of Fame baseball executive Branch Rickey.
- December 10, 2011
AceShowbiz -
Jackie Robinson's biopic "42" has found its lead actor. According to Variety, Legendary Pictures has tapped newcomer Chadwick Boseman to play the legendary Brooklyn Dodgers player in the upcoming Brian Helgeland-directed movie.
This will be Boseman's first big role in a feature film. He previously had some small parts on some TV series, including "Justified" and "Castle". He also tackled a supporting role in 2008's football pic "The Express".
In addition to Boseman, "42" has locked veteran actor Harrison Ford to play baseball executive Branch Rickey, who broke the color barrier in baseball world by signing Robinson to a minor league in 1945. Previously, Robert Redford was rumored to be interested to take the part.
"42" centers on the life of Robinson, who is the first black athlete to join the Major League Baseball. Two years after joining the minor league, at the beginning of the 1947 major league baseball season, Robinson was signed to the Brooklyn Dodgers major league baseball team with the help of Rickey.
In addition to serving behind the lens, Helgeland pens the script along with Stephen J. Rivele and Christopher Wilkinson. Legendary has teamed up with Robinson's widow, Rachel Robinson, to make sure the biopic about the fabled baseball player is authentic.
