Here’s Who’s Playing a Young Colin Kaepernick in New Netflix Series

Colin in Black & White, the forthcoming limited Netflix series created by Colin Kaepernick and Ava DuVernay, has found its lead.

Jaden Michael, whose previous credits include The Get Down and Wonderstruck, will star in the series as a young Kaepernick during his high school years. 

The first entry in the six-episode series will be directed by DuVernay. Per a Netflix rep, the series aims to take an “introspective look” at Kaepernick’s early years as a Black teen growing up with a white adoptive family. Viewers will follow Kaepernick’s path to becoming a famous quarterback while also seeing the experiences that inspired him to become a prominent activist. 

“With his act of protest, Colin Kaepernick ignited a national conversation about race and justice with far-reaching consequences for football, culture and for him, personally,” DuVernay said back in June when the scripted series was first announced. “Colin’s story has much to say about identity, sports and the enduring spirit of protest and resilience. I couldn’t be happier than to tell this story with the team at Netflix.”

For Kaepernick, the series offered a chance to provide a platform for a “new perspective” on the experience of being Black in America.

“Too often we see race and Black stories portrayed through a white lens,” Kaepernick said over the summer. “We seek to give new perspective to the differing realities that Black people face. We explore the racial conflicts I faced as an adopted Black man in a white community, during my high school years. It’s an honor to bring these stories to life in collaboration with Ava for the world to see.”