Trendy Film Report:Oprah Winfrey and Brad Pitt Join Forces for ‘Selma’

So, Oprah Winfrey and Brad Pitt have partnered up to produce Selma, a film based on the compelling story of the three black activists who against all odds attempted a trek from Selma to Montgomery, AL back in 1965.

David Oyelowo

Pitt is clearly not ending his affinity for screenplays that depict racial injustice, especially after the global success of 12 Years a Slave. Oprah’s reasons are pretty self-explanatory. And Ava DuVernay, who garnered an impressive roster of affirmations thanks to her feature film Middle of Nowhere, which marked her as the first African-American woman to win the Best Director prize at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival will be helming this ambitious venture.

Ava DuVernay

Now that all the major players have been lined up, casting is currently underway, with David Oyelowo, nabbing top honors as Martin Luther King Jr. and veteran British actor Tom Wilkinson in talks to portray President Lyndon B. Johnson.

Selma will hopefully accurately highlight the historical significance of the marches that inspired LBJ to eventually establish the Voting Rights Act that helped abolish any form of racial discrimination when it comes to elections held on a federal, state and local level.

Oyelowo and Wilkinson are the only actors attached so far, but we will be sure to keep a close eye as this project starts to bloat with impending newcomers.

Tom Wilkinson