Oscar winner Julia Roberts (Erin Brockovich) and presumably soon-to-be Oscar winner Viola Davis (Fences) are looking to team up for provocative new drama finding traction at Amblin Partners. That would be an adaptation of Jodi Picoult’s race relations novel Small Great Things, which appears to be moving along with La La Land producer Marc Platt leading the charge. It all aspects come together, according to Deadline (who first reported this story), the project may be released through DreamWorks Pictures’ label.
The film, centering around race and motherhood, centers around a black labor nurse in Connecticut who is scolded and told not to touch the newborn child of couple, who happen to white supremacists. When the newborn tragically dies, the nurse is taken to court by the couple. The sure to be provocative storyline will likely generate attention not just for the star wattage attracted to the film but also due to a precarious political environment. No screenwriter nor director have been brought aboard yet, though considering the interest of both Roberts and Davis, it’s certainly probable the film could attract a strong pedigree in both departments. In 2009, a film adaptation of Picoult’s novel My Sister’s Keeper opened in theaters which starred Cameron Diaz, Jason Patric and Abigail Breslin.
This would mark a second team-up for Davis and Roberts as the duo previously appeared in Eat Pray Love. Since then, of course, Davis has seen her star power drastically increase following her Oscar nominated performance in The Help as well as Emmy winning run on the hit sudser How to Get Away With Murder. Davis is currently a strong frontrunner to win the Academy Award for her powerful performance in Fences, role that has already won her Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards. Upcoming, she will headline Steve McQueen’s Widows. Roberts last appeared in the thriller Monster Monster and will next be seen in the family drama Wonder.
We will stay tuned to the latest on Small Great Things.
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