Ben Foster, Charmaine Bingwa, Gilbert Owuor & Mustafa Shakir Join Antoine Fuqua’s ‘Emancipation’

Ben Foster (Leave No Trace), Charmaine Bingwa (The Good Fight), Gilbert Owuor (Montana Story) and Mustafa Shakir (Marvel’s Luke Cage, The Deuce) have joined the cast of Emancipation.

The Apple Original Film from director Antoine Fuqua tells the triumphant story of Peter (Will Smith), a man who escapes from slavery. As he looks to evade cold-blooded hunters and the unforgiving swamps of Louisiana, Peter relies on his wits, his unwavering faith and his deep love for his family.

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In the action-thriller, Foster will play Fassel, who doggedly pursues any enslaved person who attempts to flee to freedom, including Peter.

Bingwa was cast as Peter’s beloved wife Dodienne. Owuor will play Gordon, an enslaved man working at the same camp as Peter, with Shakir portraying Cailloux, a free Black man who serves in the Union Army.

Emancipation was scripted by Willam N. Collage.

The film will be produced by Apple Studios, alongside Smith and his Westbrook Studios, Fuqua and his Fuqua Films, Escape Artists’ Todd Black and Joey McFarland of McFarland Entertainment. James Lassiter and Jon Mone will also produce through Westbrook, with Cliff Roberts serving as executive producer.

Foster is represented by UTA and attorney Patti C. Felker at Felker Toczek Suddleson Abramson; Bingwa is repped by Artists First, UTA, Smith & Macdonald Creative, attorney Nelson Davis and Viewpoint; Owuor is repped by D2 Management and Innovative Artists; Shakir is with The Gersh Agency, Robyn Bluestone Management and Schreck Rose Dapello Adams Berlin & Dunham.

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