Kalu Ikeagwu and Marcy Dolapo Oni have been tapped to star in “It’s the Blackness,” the debut feature from actor turned director Hakeem Kae-Kazim.
Ikeagwu (“30 Days”) and Oni (“Diary of a Lagos Girl”) will play Mr and Mrs Baba-Lola in the film.
They are joined by Daniel Davids (“Meet the Adebanjos”), Matthew J. Morrison (“Inexplicables”), Kierath Jandoo (“Dimension Slip”), Scott Haran (“Wizards vs. Aliens”), Philip Kay (“No Place Like Holmes”) and newcomers Isis Clunie and Varun Raj.
“It’s the Blackness” is a comedy-drama-romance written by newcomer Dapo Oshiyemi. It tells the story of two ambitious graduates from an elite university who must navigate institutional and structural racism as they look to build their careers in modern Britain while at the same time still making space in their lives for love and family.
The film, which is currently in pre-production, is set in South London. Shooting is set to start in London this spring under the banner of U.K. production company Talking Drum Entertainment.
“I’m thrilled to have such an exciting group of young British talent to work with on ‘It’s the Blackness’ congratulations to them all,” said Kae-Kazim. “The world will soon see their extraordinary ability on a big screen.”
Kae-Kazim has appeared in films including “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” and “King Kong v Godzilla” as well as numerous series such as “Black Sails,” “Troy: Fall of a City,” in which he played the god Zeus, the “Dynasty” re-boot and “24.” He will next be seen on screen in Starz’s “Dangerous Liaisons,” in which he plays Majordome, alongside Alice Englert, Nicholas Denton and Paloma Faith.
Oshiyemi also produces the pic while Jezz Vernon will exec produce.
