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Tiffany Haddish is among the stars set to join the cast of an upcoming limited Netflix series about legendary philanthropist and hair-care entrepreneur Madam C.J. Walker, who was born to former slaves in 1867.
Haddish, Carmen Ejogo, Blair Underwood, Kevin Carroll and Garrett Morris are all slated to join “Hidden Figures” actress Octavia Spencer in the series, titled “Madam CJ Walker,” the streaming giant announced on Tuesday. The series is set to launch next year, with Spencer, who won an Oscar for her role in 2011’s “The Help,” in the title role.
Born Sarah Breedlove, Walker, who built a beauty empire selling hair-care products for Black women, has been widely heralded as the first known American woman to become a self-made millionaire. (Guinness World Records notes that other lesser-known Black businesswomen ― like Walker’s former employer, the beauty entrepreneur Annie Turnbo Malone ― may have reached the millionaire level earlier.)
Haddish is set to play Lelia, Walker’s daughter with her late first husband. Ejogo has been cast as Addie, a hairstylist and Walker’s nemesis. Underwood is set to play Walker’s husband, Charles James; Morris has been cast as her father, Cleophus; and Carroll will play a lawyer named Ransom.
The series is inspired by the book “On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam C.J. Walker,” by A’Leila Bundles, Walker’s great-great-granddaughter, according to a Netflix announcement.
Spencer will executive produce the limited series alongside LeBron James, Maverick Carter and Jamal Henderson via their production company, SpringHill Entertainment. Christine Holder and Mark Holder also serve as executive producers.
The “Hidden Figures” actress celebrated the announcement of the new cast members on Twitter on Tuesday.
“Woo hoo. #blessed,” she wrote.
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