Netflix orders Colin Kaepernick drama with Ava DuVernay

Netflix has commissioned a new limited drama series about the adolescent years of athlete and activist Colin Kaepernick, from Oscar-nominated filmmaker Ava DuVernay.

The six-part series will focus on former National Football League (NFL) quarterback Kaepernick’s formative high school years and his experiences as a black child growing up with a white family on his way to athletic stardom and activism.

The series will be written and executive produced by Michael Starrbury, alongside DuVernay and Kaepernick, who will appear as himself as narrator of the show.

Starrbury and DuVernay last worked together on When They See Us for Netflix.

Kaepernick’s NFL career came to an end in 2016 after he and other players chose not to stand during the national anthem, in an effort to highlight issues of racial inequality and police brutality in the US. He has since dedicated himself to activism to raise awareness about these issues.

“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,” said DuVernay. “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 commented: “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.”