Netflix announced an upcoming documentary that will focus on the adolescent life of former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
The athlete-turned-activist is teaming up with Ava DuVernay for Colin in Black & White, a six-part series that will home in on Kaepernick’s time in high school, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Kaepernick, now 32, will narrate the series, and an outside actor will be cast to play the younger version of the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback.
Kaepernick was born to a black father and a white mother in Wisconsin. He was adopted by a white couple and moved to California at a young age.
Before he left the NFL three seasons ago, he began kneeling during the national anthem prior to games in a silent protest meant to raise awareness about police brutality against people of color. After being the first player to do so, many athletes in different sports leagues followed suit. But the form of protest did not gain widespread support in the NFL until the following season, when he was no longer in the league, after President Trump ridiculed him and those who declined to stand for the national anthem.
“Too often, we see race and black stories portrayed through a white lens,” Kaepernick said. “We seek to give new perspective to the differing realities that black people face. We explore the racial conflicts I faced as an adopted black man in a white community during my high school years. It’s an honor to bring these stories to life in collaboration with Ava for the world to see.”
DuVernay has recently worked on projects such as When They See Us, OWN’s Queen Sugar, and Cherish the Day.
“With his act of protest, Colin Kaepernick ignited a national conversation about race and justice with far-reaching consequences for football, culture, and for him, personally,” DuVernay said. “Colin’s story has much to say about identity, sports, and the enduring spirit of protest and resilience. I couldn’t be happier than to tell this story with the team at Netflix.”
Some NFL players are expected to kneel during “The Star-Spangled Banner” in the upcoming season, if games take place amid the coronavirus pandemic, after the debate over police brutality and racial inequality was thrust back into the spotlight following the high-profile deaths of several black people, including George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery.
