WEEK IN WOMEN: Janine Sherman Barrois’ THE BIG CIGAR set for Apple TV+ – Brandy McDonnell reports
Janine Sherman Barrois’ The Big Cigar, the highly anticipated limited drama series that chronicles the story of Black Panther leader Huey P. Newton’s escape to Cuba, is coming soon to Apple TV+. Based on the monumental magazine article of the same name, The Big Cigar makes its global debut on May 17 with the first two episodes, followed by new episodes every Friday through June 14.
Oscar-nominated actor, producer and director Don Cheadle serves as director and executive producer on the first two episodes.
Joshuah Bearman (Argo), who wrote the magazine article that inspired the series, will also serve as executive producer.
The Big Cigar tells the true story of a Hollywood revolution meeting a social revolution: It’s a wild caper of the Black Panther founder escaping from the FBI to Cuba with the assistance of famed producer Bert Schneider in an impossibly elaborate plan — involving a fake movie production — that goes wrong every way it possibly can. And somehow, it’s all true. Mostly.
André Holland leads a renowned ensemble cast including Alessandro Nivola, Tiffany Boone, P. J. Byrne, Marc Menchaca, Moses Ingram, Rebecca Dalton, Olli Haaskivi, Jordane Christie and Glynn Turman.
The Big Cigar‘s showrunner is NAACP Image Award winner Janine Sherman Barrois (Claws, The Kings of Napa) and Jim Hecht (Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty) penned the show’s first episode.
The series hails from Warner Bros. Television, where Barrois and her Folding Chair Productions are under an overall deal. Continue reading on THE WEEK IN WOMEN
