Emmy winner Cicely Tyson has joined Ava DuVernay’s upcoming OWN series, Cherish the Day.
Tyson will star alongside previously announced actors Xosha Roquemore and Alano Miller. She will the role of a legendary star named Miss Luma Lee Langston.
Cherish the Day focuses on a couple—Roquemore and Miller—whose romance unfolds day-by-day. The series is expected to be released in 2020.
DuVernay said in a statement that Tyson’s casting was a welcome addition and the opportunity to work with a “force of nature.”
“Last November, I was honored to present Ms. Tyson with her Honorary Academy Award, so to have the opportunity to work with this force of nature who has inspired multiple generations with her talent and grace is beyond anything I can describe,” DuVernay said. “I am over the moon that Ms. Tyson will bring Miss Luma Lee Langston to life in Cherish the Day. Each day that she walks on set is a master class.”
DuVernay will executive produce the series alongside Oprah Winfrey, who previously praised the filmmaker for her “visionary” storytelling.
“Ava is a visionary storyteller. She brings so much care, so much heart, so much love to the art she creates,” Winfrey said. “I’m excited to continue collaborating together with our very first anthology series for OWN.”