Rising star Chanté Adams (Monsters and Men) has been cast as a lead opposite Anika Noni Rose in Beast Mode (working title), TNT’s drama pilot inspired by the life of legendary boxing trainer Ann Wolfe.
Tina Mabry (Pose) is attached to direct the pilot, written and executive produced by David Schneiderman and produced by Wolfe and MACRO in association with Studio T.
Pulling herself and her two daughters up from poverty, abuse, homelessness and criminality, Marsha Blackstone (Rose) reached the pinnacle of boxing as a fighter and has become equally as successful a trainer known for unconventional methods and a fiercely combative style. Driven by the belief that any step backward is a slippery slope to her former life, when the boxer Marsha trained to a world title fires her, this complex and inspiring woman is determined to find a new fighter to eclipse the one she lost. But her emotional baggage and militant style could be her undoing in her professional and personal life, especially with her two grown daughters, and a new baby on the way.
Adams will play Jackie, Marsha’s older daughter. She’s a tough, emotionally-driven boxer like her mom.
Also executive producing are Stefanie Huie (Triangle) and MACRO’s Charles D. King (Mudbound), Kim Roth (Inside Man) and Poppy Hanks (Fences). Rose will serve as a co-executive producer.
Adams recently finished production on the feature Bad Hair, written and directed by Justin Simien. She can currently be seen starring opposite John David Washington in Reinaldo Marcus Green’s Monsters and Men which premiered in dramatic competition at Sundance this year and was distributed by Neon in October. The film also screened as a Special Presentation at the 2018 Toronto Film Festival. She also will be seen in the comedy feature Good Girls Get High directed by Laura Terruso.
She is repped by WME and Brillstein Entertainment Partners.
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