Netflix orders Kaepernick series

Netflix has greenlit a new original scripted series from US filmmaker Ava DuVernay and athlete and activist Colin Kaepernick based on the latter’s adolescent life.

Colin Kaepernick (Photo: Mike Morbeck via CC)

Colin in Black & White will focus on Kaepernick’s formative high school years, lending insight into the acts and experiences that led him to become the activist he is today.

The six-part series, which was originally conceived in 2019 and completed writing in May, provides an introspective look at Kaepernick’s early life as a Black child growing up with a White adopted family and his journey to become a great quarterback while defining his identity.

Michael Starrbury writes and will exec produce alongside DuVernay and Kaepernick, who will narrate the series. Starrbury and DuVernay last worked together on Netflix’s When They See Us, which received 16 Emmy nominations.

Kaepernick said: “Too often we see race and Black stories portrayed through a White lens. We seek to give new perspective to the differing realities that Black people face. We explore the racial conflicts I faced as an adopted Black man in a white community, during my high school years. It’s an honour to bring these stories to life in collaboration with Ava for the world to see.”

DuVernay added: “With his act of protest, Colin Kaepernick ignited a national conversation about race and justice with far-reaching consequences for football, culture and for him personally. Colin’s story has much to say about identity, sports and the enduring spirit of protest and resilience. I couldn’t be happier than to tell this story with the team at Netflix.”

Kaepernick is a former NFL player whose career came to an end in 2016 after he chose to kneel during the national anthem to call attention to the issues of racial inequality and police brutality in the US. He has not played professional football since and has dedicated himself to activism in order to raise awareness on racial injustice.