Ballet dancer Misty Copeland will be getting the biopic treated with film Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina, directed by Nzingha Stewart, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Stewart has directed episodes of ‘Scandal’ and ‘How To Get Away With Murder.’ The movie is based on Copeland’s memoir of the same name that she co-wrote with journalist Charisse Jones and will be adapted to screen by Michelle Rosenfarb. The story will center on Copeland’s beginnings as a ballerina at 13 to her rise to become the first African American to be the principal dancer for the American Ballet Theater.
According to Copeland’s personal website, she began dancing with point technique after three months of dance classes, and embarked as a professional dancer a year after, which is unusual, given that she began dancing at a late age. She was also the first African American in the role of the swan queen “Odette/Odile” in ABT’s Swan Lake during their tour in Australia. She recently made an appearance in this past winter’s The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (seen above).
Stewart said that “As a filmmaker, I am thrilled to bring this hopeful, triumphant and cinematic story to the big screen.” She has been recently involved with her feature directorial debut for the movie Tall Girl, which began filming in January of this year.
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