Chadwick Boseman's final film, 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom,' is coming to Netflix

From Harper's BAZAAR

Prior to his death, Chadwick Boseman had been working on several film projects, including the forthcoming Ma Rainey's Black Bottom alongside Viola Davis.

Based upon the play of the same name, Boseman's final film is headed to Netflix later this year. Here's everything you need to know.

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom explores racial tensions in 1920s Chicago

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is based upon the 1982 play of the same name by August Wilson. The story follows the career of the "Mother of the Blues" - real-life singer Ma Rainey, played by Viola Davis.

According to her obituary in The New York Times, the singer "was the first entertainer to successfully bridge the divide between vaudeville—the cabaret-style shows that developed out of minstrelsy in the mid-1800s, and catered largely to white audiences—and authentic black Southern folk expression".

The film focuses on Ma Rainey's struggle with her white management team. Boseman plays Levee, a trumpet player striving to forge his own career in the arts.

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is produced by Denzel Washington

Having acted opposite Davis in Fences, also based upon a play by August Wilson, Washington is one of the producers of Netflix's adaptation of Ma Rainey's Black Bottom.

Of Boseman's performance in the movie, Washington told The New York Times: "He did a brilliant job, and he’s gone... I still can’t believe it."

Viola Davis wasn't sure about taking on the role of Ma Rainey

Of playing the iconic musician, the How to Get Away with Murder star told The New York Times: "I thought of 50 other actresses before I thought of myself... She’s unapologetic, and that extends to her body and the way that she dresses. And trust me—as Viola, in my life, I don’t do that." However, the Oscar-winner went on to embrace playing the expressive performer: "I revelled in her, I swished my hips every day. There was such joy in that freedom of expression."

Davis also opened up about working with Boseman and told the newspaper: "I’m looking back at how tired he always seemed... I look at his beautiful, unbelievable team that was meditating over him and massaging him, and I now realise everything they were trying to infuse in him to keep him going and working at his optimal level. And he received it."

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is coming to Netflix on 18 December.

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