Detroit breakout star Algee Smith has been cast in The Hate U Give, an upcoming YA Adaptation of Black Lives Matter novel from first time writer Angela Thomas, says The Hollywood Reporter.
Amandla Stenberg (Everything, Everything) is set to star in the film about a high school girl named Starr who grew up in a poverty-stricken neighborhood, but has since begun attending a prep school in the suburbs. After a police officer shoots her unarmed best friend, Starr feels torn between her two world as she struggles to speak her mind and stand up for her truth.
Algee Smith has joined the cast as Khalil, Starr’s childhood friend. Also starring in the film is Regina Hall (Scary Movie 4) as Lisa, Starr’s mother; Russell Hornsby (Fences) as Starr’s father; and Lamar Johnson (soon to be seen in X-Men: Dark Phoenix) as her brother.
George Tillman Jr. (Notorious) will direct the film for Fox 2000 based on the adaptation by Audrey Wells (Under the Tuscan Sun). Thomas’ novel was published back in February, but Fox 2000 won the bid for the film rights last year before the story hit bookshelves. Since debuting earlier this year, The Hate U Give has hit number 1 on the NYT Young Adult Best Sellers list and has remained on the list for 23 weeks.
Smith can currently be seen on the big screen in Kathryn Bigelow’s Detroit.
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