JAY-Z and Will Smith are partnering up to bring the story of Emmett Till and his mother Mamie Till Mobley to the small screen.
On Friday (August 28), ABC announced an official green light for Women of the Movement, a six-episode limited series focusing on Mobley and the moments sparking the beginning of the Civil Rights movement. Hov and Smith are part of a production team including Aaron Kaplan, Jay Brown and Tyan “Ty Ty” Smith of Roc Nation, Jamie Lassiter of Overbrook Entertainment and others. Marissa Jo Cerar will serve as series writer.
“I am thrilled to bring this project to television,” Cerar said. “It is unfortunately very timely, and my hope is to give the audience a chance to learn who Emmett Till really was – the boy, rather than the victim or the martyr – while also showcasing Mamie’s astonishing strength in the face of a mother’s worst nightmare.”
She added, “Telling Emmett and Mamie’s story is a responsibility I have not taken lightly since I began this journey last year, because this is more than a tragedy; it’s a story about a mother’s unwavering love of her son and her commitment to bettering the lives of all Black people. I can’t wait to start filming. With the brilliant Gina Prince-Bythewood as our director, we could not be in better hands.”
