Netflix announced a slate of new projects at this year’s Television Critics Association (TCA) event at the Beverly Hilton, including a new limited series about Madam C.J. Walker, one of America’s wealthiest women.
Based on A’Lelia Bundles’ book, “On Her Own Ground,” Netflix’s Madam C.J. Walker series will tell “the untold and highly irreverent story of Black hair care pioneer and mogul Madam C.J. Walker and how she overcame hostile turn-of-the-century America, epic rivalries, tumultuous marriages and some trifling family to become America’s first Black, self-made female millionaire.“
The limited series will be executive produced by Octavia Spencer, LeBron James, Maverick Carter, Mark Holder, and Christine Holder, and will run for eight episodes.
Academy-Award winner Spencer will not only serve as an executive producer on the project, she’ll also star in the titular role.
Madam C.J. Walker will be full of #BlackGirlMagic behind the scenes too. The series will be written by Nicole Asher, directed by Eve’s Bayou helmer, Kasi Lemmons, and Elle Johnson and Janine Sherman Barrois will serve as showrunners.
Cindy Holland, Netflix’s VP of Original Content said Madam C.J. Walker’s story is just another example of the network’s commitment to producing inclusive content. In June, we wondered if Netflix is a Mecca for Black content creators. And with new series, like Michael B. Jordan’s Raising Dion and several Shonda Rhimes projects, coming down the pipeline, Holland said Netflix just wants to continue telling great stories.
“We’re only getting started, but our goal is for the label of ‘diverse content’ to be obsolete,” Holland said. “There will only be great content, reflecting all communities around the world.”
