As previously reported by Deadline, Sterling K. Brown’s Washington Black, based on Esi Edugyan’s novel of the same name, will be released on Hulu in July. More specifically, all eight episodes will become available on July 23rd.
The novel tells the story of a young slave boy named “Wash” who becomes the manservant of an abolitionist named Christopher Wilde. Wilde, who is also a naturalist, explorer, and inventor, allows Wash to embrace a life of dignity and meaning. Things take a turn for the worse as Wash’s new master is not so fond of him, accusing him of murder. This leads to Wash’s globetrotting adventures.
The story was inspired by that of Andrew Bogle, a former slave turned valet for the Tichborne family in 1800s England. After Roger Tichborne had become shipwrecked and lost in Australia, Bogle was sent to retrieve him.
Mxdwn reports that Emmy Award-winning actor, Sterling K. Brown (Black Panther, American Fiction), is not only executive producer of the limited series, but also stars in the show as Medwin Harris, a gregarious and larger-than-life town leader in Halifax, Nova Scotia, who becomes a mentor to the adult Wash. Starring as young Wash will be Eddie Karanja (Halo, Sandman). Tom Ellis (Lucifer, Miranda) is cast as Christopher Wilde.
Taking the leading role of Wash will be Ernest Kingsley Jr. (War of the Worlds, The Sandman). Kingsley made his professional theatre debut in a play called Is God Is. The play explored the deeply charged and taboo theme of patricide. In the play, Kingsley takes the role of brother to the twin sisters who were severely burned at a young age. They find out from their dying mother that it was their father who was at fault. As you can imagine, the quest for patricide ensues. Critics of the show rave at the plotline, with the NY Times calling for Tarantino to step aside.
