An Al Sharpton limited series is in the very early stages of development at ABC Signature, and it looks like Anthony Anderson could star in it.
Deadline reports that Anderson, who is more known for his comedic roles, could be getting deeper into his serious acting bag with an upcoming ABC Signature limited series about Sharpton’s life. Though no actors are officially attached to the project, Deadline says that Anderson is being eyed for the starring role in the series, and he would executive produce it with E. Brian Dobbins, who also produced Kenya Barris’ black-ish, also starring Anderson.
The project based on The Redemption of Al Sharpton, a piece published by Esquire about how Sharpton’s life as a civil rights activist has also not been free from controversy. According to Deadline, “The profile looks to reconcile Sharpton’s image as ‘a beacon of the civil-rights movement’ and as ‘a loudmouth in a tracksuit, surrounded by controversy and shady friends.'” The piece was written by Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Mitchell S. Jackson, who followed Sharpton across the country to learn more about Sharpton’s motivation and viewpoints on his career and legacy. Jackson will also serve as a producer on the limited series.
Anderson is known for making people laugh, but he has gone back to drama by reprising his Law & Order role Det. Kevin Barnard. Other dramatic roles include 2014 horror film The Town That Dreaded Sundown, HBO’s 2010s drama Treme, 2017’s film Small Town Crime and 2019’s Netflix series Beats, among others.