Actor Elijah Kelley has landed the role to portray the late Sammy Davis Jr. in an upcoming Hulu series.
The series will be directed by Lee Daniels and it will feature eight episodes that are based on the book written by Wil Haygood’s book, In Black and White: The Life of Sammy Davis Jr.
Although the series has yet to be named, it will focus on Davis’ rise as an entertainer from being a childhood star to becoming one of the most famous Black entertainers during the 1950s and 1960s.
It will also display some of Davis’ more controversial moments such as his marriage to Swedish actress May Britt, his affairs with white movie stars, his close relationships with past presidents, as well as his battles with drugs and alcohol.
Elijah Kelley has worked with Lee Daniels on previous projects and also played Ricky Bell in the New Edition biopic, The New Edition Story. Kelly is also set to produce and collaborate on original music for the show.
How do you feel about this?