Another Emmett Till story coming in October

It’s Black History Month, and I am going to share some history with you that you might not know. Last month everyone anticipated the ABC series: Women of the Movement. This American historical drama mini-series created and written by Marissa Jo Cerar and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood; centers on Mamie Till-Mobley, played by Adrienne Warren, who devoted her life to seeking justice for her murdered son Emmett, played by Cedric Joe. Tonya Pinkins also co-stars as Alma Carthan, Emmett’s grandmother, and local actor Ray Fisher of Haddonfield, NJ, portrayed Gene Mobley, the husband of Mamie.
The series based on the books Death of Innocence: The Story of the Hate Crime That Changed America by Mamie Till-Mobley & Christopher Benson, along with Emmett Till: The Murder That Shocked the World and Propelled the Civil Rights Movement by Devery S. Anderson–aired in January and can still be seen on the ABC app and YouTube.
On August 28, 1955, while visiting family in Money, Mississippi, 14-year-old Emmett Till, an African American from Chicago, is brutally murdered for allegedly flirting with a white woman four days earlier.
His assailants—the white woman’s husband and his brother—made Emmett carry a 75-pound cotton gin fan to the bank of the Tallahatchie River and ordered him to take off his clothes. The two men then beat him nearly to death, gouged out his eye, shot him in the head, and then threw his body, tied to the cotton gin fan with barbed wire, into the river.
The brutality of his murder and the fact that his killers were acquitted drew attention to the long history of violent persecution of African Americans in the United States. Till’s death became an icon of the civil rights movement.
A must-see film.
Fisher, who portrayed Mamie’s husband had his share of injustice as well with his career. You may remember Fisher, best known for his role as Cyborg, the first black superhero in the DC Extended Universe media franchise. Born in Baltimore, MD, Fisher grew up in Lawnside, NJ where he was raised by his mother and grandmother. A career in acting and theater led him to some great opportunities.
Fisher had a cameo appearance as the superhero Victor Stone/ Cyborg in the 2016 superhero film Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. He reprised the role as part of an ensemble cast in Justice League (2017), which generated lukewarm reviews and had an unsuccessful theatrical run. In 2020, Fisher allegedly accused director Joss Whedon of “abusive” and “unprofessional” behavior while filming Justice League. He also called DC Films executive Walter Hamada “the most dangerous kind of enabler” and stated that he “will not participate in any production associated with Hamada” in December 2020.
While he was slated to appear in the film The Flash, Fisher was fired after vowing to never work with Hamada, the film’s producer. He reprised the role of Cyborg in Zack Snyder’s Justice League, the 2021 director’s cut of Justice League… Fisher participated in the filming of new footage for the cut in October 2020. The cut generated a good critical reception, with Tom Jorgensen of IGN highlighting Fisher’s colorful portrayal and Alex Abad-Santos of Vox praising the “mix of rage and vulnerability” in his performance.
I am so proud of Fisher to whom I interviewed during the hype of Justice League. So many actors and folks in the entertainment industry have been standing up and speaking out about unfair treatment behind the scenes. Nick Cannon, Gabrielle Union, just to name a few. The film was executively produced by Jay Z and Will Smith.
By now, you should have heard that MGM’s Orion Pictures’ film “Till,” starring Danielle Deadwyler, Whoopi Goldberg, and Jalyn Hall as Emmett Till, is rewrapping up production in prep for its October 7, 2022 release.
Frankie Faison, Jayme Lawson, Tosin Cole, Kevin Carroll, Sean Patrick Thomas, John Douglas Thompson, and Roger Guenveur Smith have boarded the project, directed by Chinonye Chukwu. “Till” is currently filming in Atlanta.
“Till,” tells the story of Mamie Till-Mobley (Deadwyler), chronicling her decision to have an open casket at Emmett’s funeral and allowing Jet Magazine to publish David Jackson’s funeral photos in order to ensure people everywhere saw the true horrors of her son’s murder. The decision from the grieving mother was a moment that led to the creation of the civil rights movement. Goldberg is set to portray Till’s grandmother, Alma Carthan and Danielle Deadwyler as Mamie Till-Mobley.
Chinonye Chuwku also wrote the screenplay for the film, about a mother’s pursuit of justice, based on a previous draft by Keith Beauchamp and Michael J P Reilly. The project is based in part on Beauchamp’s original research for his award-winning 2005 documentary “The Untold Story of Emmett Louis Till.” The film is produced by Beauchamp, Barbara Broccoli, Goldberg, Thomas K. Levine, Reilly, and Frederick Zollo.
Chukwu said, “I’m honored to be partnering with MGM’s Orion Pictures and an incredible production team in telling a story that will delve deeply into the humanities of Mamie and Emmett; the love and joy they shared, and the activist consciousness that grows within Mamie as she seeks justice for her son. I’m thrilled to be working with Danielle, a powerhouse of an actor who will bring a brilliant complexity and groundedness to her portrayal of Mamie. And it is a dream come true to be working with the legendary Whoopi Goldberg, especially in telling this story.”
Well, that’s the Philly Beat!!