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"David Makes Man" is a one-hour lyrical drama from Academy Award winner Tarell Alvin McCraney ("Moonlight"), his first TV project. McCraney serves as executive producer of the series alongside Dee Harris-Lawrence ("Shots Fired," "Unsolved: The Murders of Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G.") who serves as showrunner. Mike Kelley and Melissa Loy ("Revenge") under their Page Fright production banner, Michael B. Jordan via his Outlier Society Productions and Oprah Winfrey are also executive producers. "David Makes Man" centers on a 14-year-old prodigy from the projects who is haunted by the death of his closest friend and relied on by his hardworking mother to find a way out of poverty. He must choose between the streets that raised him or the higher education that may offer him a way out. Set in South Florida, the series is inspired by events in McCraney's own life and explores childhood trauma and the power of imagination to survive.
The drama stars Akili McDowell ("The Astronaut Wives Club") as David, a ferociously observant, instinct-driven, passionate teenager, who toggles between two distinct personas that reflect his surroundings and metabolizes his world like a chameleon, but not without exacting an emotional price; Alana Arenas ("Hall of Passes") plays David's hard-working single mother Gloria, a former drug user with a smile that melts and while rarely home, she wants better for her kids than what they've got; Isaiah Johnson ("Hamilton") plays Sky, an enigmatic and wise dope dealer who is also David's close friend and occasional mentor in the projects; Travis Coles ("Liza on Demand") portrays Mx. Elijah, gender queer and assigned male at birth and doesn't consider herself 'trans,' but always thought of herself as both, Mx. Elijah doesn't disclose pronouns as long as it's with respect—a long-time Homestead Village resident who knows a great deal, but discusses few; Phylicia Rashad ("Creed II") plays Dr. Woods-Trap, the lithe, alive, quick-witted and intimidating teacher that is motherly yet firm toward David seeing something very special in him and remains an advocate for him; Nathaniel McIntyre ("Celebrity Ghost Stories") plays Seren, David's incredibly vulnerable best friend at the magnet school for academically gifted kids who takes a risk by revealing a painful secret to David; Cayden Williams ("Girls Trip") plays Jonathan 'JG' Greg, David's rough-and-tumble younger brother, who acts tough in front of his peers but still needs his big brother and mom to be there for him; Ade Chike Torbert ("East Los High") is Raynan, the local drug dealer running the movements in The Ville who talks a good game about taking care of the neighborhood and running things for Sky while also attempting to connect with David the way Sky did, except he seeks a disciple not a friend or brother; Jordan Bolger ("Peaky Blinders") plays Shinobi, Raynan's second-in-command who nearly comes to blows with David, whom he resents. The series also features Tony winner and Emmy/Golden Globe nominee Ruben Santiago-Hudson ("The Quad," "Billions"), Elvis Nolasco ("American Crime"), Gillian Williams ("The Girlfriend Experience"), Juanita Jennings ("Star"), Lisa Colon-Zayas ("Proven Innocent"), Lindsey Blackwell ("Step Sisters"), Lela Rochon ("Training Day") and Nick Creegan, all with recurring roles.
Original Release
06/19/2019 on OWN
US Release
06/19/2019
Links
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Cast
Name | Character |
---|
Travis Coles | Miss Elijah |
Akili McDowell | David |
Alana Arenas | Gloria |
Cayden K. Williams | JG |
Nathaniel Logan McIntyre | Seren Kelly |
Isaiah Johnson | Sky |
Lindsey Blackwell | Marissa |
Phylicia Rashad | Dr. Woods-Trap |
Ade Chike Torbert | Raynan |
Arlen Escarpeta | Adult JG |
# | Title | Air Date |
---|---|---|
1 | Barrel of Oranges | Tuesday, 22 June 2021 |
2 | Hurston | Tuesday, 29 June 2021 |
3 | Y'all Gucci | Tuesday, 06 July 2021 |
4 | Savage, Classy, Bougie, Ratchet | Tuesday, 13 July 2021 |
5 | My Own Best Friend | Tuesday, 20 July 2021 |
6 | Vizcaya | Tuesday, 27 July 2021 |
7 | No Atheists in Rabbit Holes | Tuesday, 03 August 2021 |
8 | Chaos Is Come Again | Tuesday, 10 August 2021 |
9 | Homecoming | Tuesday, 17 August 2021 |
10 | Trouble the Water | Tuesday, 24 August 2021 |
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Directors
Kiel Adrian Scott, Erica Watson, Daina Reid, Cheryl Dunye, Michael Francis Williams
Writers
Lucien Christian Adderley, Richard Wilson, Jaquen Castellanos, Tarell Alvin McCraney, Allison Davis, Denitria Harris-Lawrence, John J. Strauss, Kristin Palombo
Creators
Cast
Name | Character |
---|
Travis Coles | Miss Elijah |
Akili McDowell | David |
Alana Arenas | Gloria |
Cayden K. Williams | JG |
Nathaniel Logan McIntyre | Seren Kelly |
Isaiah Johnson | Sky |
Lindsey Blackwell | Marissa |
Phylicia Rashad | Dr. Woods-Trap |
Ade Chike Torbert | Raynan |
Arlen Escarpeta | Adult JG |
Brandi Huzzie | Trisha |
Jordan Bolger | Shinobi |
Kwame Patterson | Adult David |
Tanisha Cidel | Ms. Cueva |
Solomon Valdez | Willie Derrick |
Trinity Cidel | Trenise |
Vonii Bristow | Gold Tooth |
Juanita Jennings | Mrs. Hertrude |
Frederick Williams | Lazy Eye |
Zsane Jhe | Adult Shella |
Producers
Name | Role |
---|
Oprah Winfrey | Executive Producer |
Michael B. Jordan | Executive Producer |
Tarell Alvin McCraney | Executive Producer |
Melissa Loy | Executive Producer |
Denitria Harris-Lawrence | Executive Producer |
Mike Kelley | Executive Producer |
John J. Strauss | Executive Producer |
Nantale Corbett | Producer |
Wayne Morris | Producer |
John J. Strauss | Producer |
Allison Davis | Producer |
Jaquen Castellanos | Producer |
Elsa Boccuzzi | Producer |
Anthony Thompson | Producer |
Juma Mounger | Producer |
RushDee Williams | Producer |