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The ensemble cast also includes Ebony Obsidian, Milauna Jackson, Kylie Jefferson, Shanice Shantay and Sarah Jeffery.
By Etan Vlessing
Canada Bureau Chief
Kerry Washington, Oprah Winfrey and Sam Waterston are toplining Tyler Perry’s Six Triple Eight, the prolific director’s fourth film for Netflix.
Washington will also executive produce the film about the true story of the only all-black, all-female World War II battalion that proved key to the American war effort. The ensemble cast in the film, which has begun production, includes Ebony Obsidian, Milauna Jackson, Kylie Jefferson, Shanice Shantay, Sarah Jeffery, Pepi Sonuga and Jay Reeves.
Perry and his team also cast Jeanté Godlock, Moriah Brown, Baadja-Lyne Odums, Gregg Sulkin, Dean Norris and Susan Sarandon. Perry wrote the script for Six Triple Eight, which his based on an article by Kevin M. Hymel for WWII History magazine.
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He will also produce the film alongside Nicole Avant, Keri Selig, Angi Bones, Carlota Espinosa and Tony Strickland, while Peter Guber will also executive produce.
Six Triple Eight recalls 855 women who joined the war effort with little knowledge of what exactly they would be doing, but were quickly given the mission to sort through and fix a three-year backlog of undelivered mail.
Their herculean task was done as the women faced discrimination, an unfamiliar land and a war-torn country as they sorted over 17 million pieces of mail, reconnecting American soldiers with their families and loved ones back home.
The story of the 6888th Postal Directory Battalion, until now kept out of history books, was restored on March 14th, 2022 when U.S. President Joe Biden signed a bill for the women to receive the Congressional Gold Medal, Congress’ highest honor.
Six Triple Eight will mark Perry’s latest film he directed for Netflix after A Fall From Grace, A Madea Homecoming, and A Jazzman’s Blues. Perry, WME and Johnson Shapiro recently inked a four-picture deal with Amazon Studios.
Washington is repped by CAA, Washington Square Arts, The Lede Company and Hansen Jacobsen.
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