UPDATE: On the heels of this morning’s announcement of a New York open casting call for Spike Lee’s upcoming Netlfix series based on his feature length directorial debut, “She’s Gotta Have It,” comes news that “Hamilton” actor Anthony Ramos, is the first actor to be cast in the series. The Puerto Rican actor, who originated the roles of John Laurens and Philip Hamilton, Alexander Hamilton’s eldest son, in the Broadway musical “Hamilton,” last year, has been cast to play and da original b-boy sneakerhead himself, Mars Blackmon – the role Spike Lee played in the 1986 movie.
Per the release, Blackmon is still a sneakerhead in the series, who still wears Air Jordans, but he has taken his b-boy-ness to the web, as a social-media phenomenon.
Primarily a theatre actor, Ramos has very few screen credits; this would be his highest profile screen role (film or TV) to date. He can currently be seen in the indie drama “White Girl” opposite star Morgan Saylor, which had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January, and was released in a limited number of theaters on September 2, 2016 by FilmRise.
With filming on the “She’s Gotta Have It” series set to begin on October 11, I expect the starring cast (Nola and her 3 men) will be set very soon, starting with Ramos. I wonder if Blackmon’s signature “Please baby please” will transfer to the series as well.
He’s another in-demand “Hamilton” alum, following Daveed Diggs, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Renée Elise Goldsberry, who’ve all booked high profile jobs recently.
If you missed this morning’s “She’s Gotta Have It” open casting call announcement, read it below.
Spike Lee and Netflix have teamed up to develop a TV series based on Spike’s feature film debut, “She’s Gotta Have It.” Details on the adaptation (for example, whether it’ll tell the exact same story the film did, with the same characters, as well as who Spike might be considering for his cast, etc) weren’t made public at the time of the announcement 2 weeks ago, and remain underwraps.
What we do know for sure is that it’ll be a half-hour TV series based on Lee’s cherished, though problematic film, which, by the way, celebrates its 30th year in release this year (it initially opened on August 8, 1986).
Netflix has ordered a 10-episode series which Spike will also direct and serve as an executive producer, along with his producer-wife Tonya Lewis Lee.
In a statement from Spike Lee about the Netflix pickup, he said the following:
“SHE’S GOTTA HAVE IT Has A Very Special Place In My Heart. We Shot This Film In 12 Days (2 Six Day Weeks) Way Back In The Back Back Of The Hot Summer Of 1985 For A Mere Total of $175,000. Funds That We Begged, Borrowed and Whatnot To Get That Money. This Is The 1st Official Spike Lee Feature Film Joint And Everything That We Have Been Blessed With In This Tough Business Of Film All Have Been Due To SGHI. Now With The Passing (August 8th) Of The 30th Anniversary, It’s A Gift That Keeps On Giving. We Are Getting An Opportunity To Revisit These Memorable Characters Who Will Still Be Relevant And Avant Garde 3 Decades Later. With All That Said It Was My Wife, Tonya Lewis Lee, Producer In Her Own Right,Who Had The Vision To Take My Film From The Big Screen And Turn It Into An Episodic Series. It Had Not Occurred To Me At All. Tonya Saw It Plain As Day. I Didn’t. We Are Hyped That NETFLIX Is Onboard With This Vision As Nola Darling, Mars Blackmon, Jamie Overstreet And Greer Childs DO DA DAMN THANG Now, Today In Da Republic Of Brooklyn, New York.”
In the case of who will be cast to play the lead in the series, this could very well be a career changer for the actress Spike Lee selects to play Nola Darling; especially if she’s an up-and-comer, or an entirely new face, instead of an already established actress. And frankly, I hope he goes with a fresh face.
Nola Darling is the young, self-assured Brooklynite, juggling 3 very different boyfriends, who, maybe, if collected into one body, will represent her ideal mate. But Nola doesn’t want to commit to any of her men, cherishing her personal freedom, even as their relationships with Nola grow, and each man wants her for himself.
So what actress (likely between the ages of 25 and 35) do you think can exude Nola’s complexities?
Spike Lee did say, 20+ years ago, that he wrote the film with Tracy Camila Johns in mind as Nola. So one can only assume that, in adapting the film into a Showtime series, he could also very likely already have an actress in mind for the part. In fact, I wouldn’t at all be surprised if he’s already approached her (whoever she is) about it.
Of course there are also the 3 men in her life, assuming the story remains the same, except set in the present-day: Mars Blackmon, Jamie Overstreet and Greer Childs; roles for 3 black actors to play.
To help answer all these casting questions, Spike announced a New York open casting call for “She’s Gotta Have It” the Netflix series. Although the call doesn’t say what specific roles are being cast; it just asks actors to show up ready.
Full details follow below:
OPEN CALL for the new Spike Lee show, “A SPIKE LEE JOINT”
Barbara McNamara Casting is having an open call for actors in the NYC area.
WHEN: Monday, October 3rd
WHERE: Brooklyn Masonic Temple 317 Clermont Ave. (Dekalb and Lafayette Ave) Fort Greene, Brooklyn 11205
Looking for all nationalities age 18-80
Filming will take place October 11th – January 25TH
SAG/AFTRA actors 5PM-6:30PM
NON UNION actors 6:30-8PM
ALL TALENT MUST BE ABLE TO WORK IN USA and have valid proof of ID.
Please bring updated headshot and resume along with 2 forms of ID (DL/SS, US PASSPORT, GREENCARD/SS, PERMANENT RESIDENT CARD/SS)
Those who cannot attend the open call can email updated headshot, resume and one recent non-professional photo to SLBGCASTING@GMAIL.COM
Thank you
Note that it doesn’t say whether this call is for principal or background roles. But I’d guess that, with filming set to begin in just about 2 weeks, it’s likely that he’s already cast the lead; at least I’d imagine so, given how little time she’d have to prep. But I could be wrong of course. I’m certainly not in Spike’s production camp, so I have no inside knowledge of his process in this case.
But good luck to all those who attend!
Below is a trailer for the original 1986 film as a reminder of its look and feel:
