Keke Palmer is taking a lead role in Alice, a sci-fi thriller inspired by true events.
The talk-show host, actress and activist will portray a Georgia woman trapped in servitude in the 1800s. Her character will manage to travel across 55 acres to secure her freedom only to be faced with the bewildering fact that just outside of the property line the rest of the world has been living in 1973.
Palmer, a former child star who’s dramatic range has expanded in films such as Hustlers and Pimp, will also be executive-producing the project. Screenwriter Krystin Ver Linden take on the real events is what drew Palmer to the film.
“So many films that depict this time in our history are rooted in victimization of the Black female lead. This story is the opposite and that’s what attracted me to Krystin’s perspective,” said Palmer.
“It tackles the harsh realities of slavery and White supremacy while also offering inspiration and vindication through the story of Alice’s journey. I don’t want anyone to leave the theater feeling debilitated, I want them to feel empowered,” she continued.
Ver Linden said: “Black Power is giving power to people who have not had power to determine their destiny. Huey Newton’s resounding quote has been affixed on my corkboard for as long as I can remember picking up a pen to write.”
“Those words echo every creative endeavor that I’ve undergone, so when I read about the true story of a woman who escaped the confines of a self-proclaimed plantation, becomes radicalized and seeks out her oppressor… It spoke to me on a very deep, undeniable level,” said the screenwriter.
Ver Linden is happy to have Palmer portraying her muse. “Keke is a force to be reckoned with. Her talent, truth, strength and depth are beyond words and measure…. A virtuoso of Keke’s caliber is a genuine dream to work with,” she said.