Good or bad, many American Presidents have a story worth telling. Whether it’s someone as timelessly iconic as Abraham Lincoln, or someone as recently notorious as George W. Bush, these public figures often travel long, tumultuous roads to the White House. President Barack Obama’s story is no different from any of his predecessors in that regard. A new biopic for the first black POTUS will soon hit the silver screen, and the perfect actor has been cast to play him.
The film sees Obama as a college student exploring NYC, where he has a fateful encounter with a young woman.Posted by The Hollywood Reporter on Tuesday, March 1, 2016
According to THR, a new Barack Obama biopic – titled Barry – has found its lead in the form of actor Devvon Terrell. A newcomer to the Hollywood scene, audiences will most likely recognize Terrell for his work in Steve McQueen’s Oscar-winning drama 12 Years a Slave. Although he’s a relatively unknown actor, we have to say just looking at the photo of Terrell above, the resemblance is uncanny. Joining Terrell in the recent cast announcement is up-and-coming actress Anya Taylor-Joy, who just made a name for herself as the lead in the smash hit art-house horror film The Witch, which is currently in theaters.
The story of Barry centers upon a young Barack Obama as he struggles to find himself in New York City in 1981, long before he became the politician and President we know him as today. It makes a great deal of sense that we will soon see his formative years brought to life on the silver screen; they really are fascinating. As a biracial child of divorce, Barack Obama has most certainly struggled in a way unlike any other president in recent memory, and the movie will focus on the relationships he developed during his time as a student.
Barack Obama has easily become one of the most iconic presidents in American history, as well as one of the most polarizing. Some people love him, while some people absolutely hate him. All that being said, this film seems intent on taking an apolitical stance regarding its subject matter. Taking place years before Obama went anywhere near the White House, the movie will merely tell a story about a young man’s journey to becoming an American icon, not the divisive figure he became once elected president.
We will bring you more information related Barry as it becomes available to us. The film will be directed by Vikram Gandhi, and is based upon a screenplay written by Adam Mansbach.
