Academy Award nominee Regina King is directing the pilot for a Judy Blume adaptation of the novel Forever. They just tapped Lovie Simone and Michael Cooper Jr. as the leads. The project is a part of Mara Brock Akil’s overall deal.
As reported in Variety, this adaptation was created by Brock Akil, and in addition to directing the pilot, King will serve as executive producer. Officially, the series is described as “an epic love story of two Black teens exploring romance and their identities through the awkward journey of being each other’s firsts, set in Los Angeles, 2018.”
Simone plays Keisha Clark, a “young, confident, smart, and fiery track star with clear dreams for life after high school.” Cooper is playing Justin Edwards, who is described as “a young man who is a nerd at heart disguised in an athlete’s body.” Variety notes that Justin desires to play division 1 basketball and yearns for success beyond “his already successful parents.” The “Love,” says the synopsis, “will lead him to who he truly is.”
The series was picked up by Netflix back in 2022, and this is the first series to come out under Brock Akil’s aforementioned overall deal. In addition to creating the series adaptation of the 1971 Judy Blume book, Brock Akil will serve as showrunner and executive producer along with Blume. The other executive producers are Susie Fitzgerald, Sara White, Reina King, Shana C. Waterman, and Erika Harrison.
Simone is best known as a series regular on Greenleaf for OWN and starring in the Apple TV+ new series Manhunt. Cooper starred in On the Come Up, Sanaa Lathan’s directorial debut. Good for both of them!
The post Regina King Directing Pilot for Mara Brock Akil’s Adaptation of Judy Blume’s ‘Forever’ for Netflix With Lovie Simone and Michael Cooper Jr. Set to Star first appeared on The Source.
The post Regina King Directing Pilot for Mara Brock Akil’s Adaptation of Judy Blume’s ‘Forever’ for Netflix With Lovie Simone and Michael Cooper Jr. Set to Star appeared first on The Source.