Colin Kaepernick gushes as Netflix casts Jaden Michael as young Kap in upcoming series

Colin Kaepernick is a happy man after the creatives finally found the perfect actor play the part of young Kaepernick in the upcoming limited series, Colin in Black & White. Four months after the six-part series was announced to be coming on Netflix, 17-year-old Jaden Michael has been chosen to play the lead character.

Colin Kaepernick is serving as the executive producer of the series alongside Ava DuVernay and Michael Starrbury. The free-agent quarterback is also going play a part in the series as himself and as a narrator. Ava DuVernay will be directing the first episode of the series. She gained widespread acclaim for her work in Emmy-nominated When They See Us. Michael Starrbury, who also worked in the series, will also serve as the writer for Colin in Black & White. 

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Jaden Michael is reportedly represented by A3 Artists Agency, Brillstein Entertainment Partners and Sloss Eckhouse LawCo. The 17-year-old is best known for his roles in Netflix's The Get Down, and Todd Haynes’ drama Wonderstruck. He was also the lead actor in this year's horror comedy film, Vampires vs the Bronx, starring alongside established actors like Zoe Saldana, Method Man and Shea Whigham.

The Colin Kaepernick Netflix project will likely be a challenge for the young actor, who will need to bring Kaepernick's adolescence to the small screen. The limited series will revolve around Kaepernick's life before he entered the NFL in 2016. The aim of the series will be to provide an insight into Colin's early life as an African-American child growing up with a white adopted family followed by his journey to become an NFL quarterback and then a civil rights activist. 

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Colin Kaepernick played his NFL career with the San Francisco 49ers between 2011 and 2016. One of the top rushing quarterbacks in the league, Kaepernick was heavily criticised when he opted to kneel during the national anthem in 2016. Despite criticism from his peers, Kaepernick persisted with his protests against police brutality and racial injustice for the entirety of the 2016 season. He exited the NFL in 2017 and has failed to find a way back ever since. 

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The 32-year-old's 'Take a Knee' protest has been a common way for athletes across the globe to show their support for the Black Lives Matter movement. The anti-racism protests gained prominence in the US after George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, was murdered by a police officer in Minneapolis. The aftermath even saw the NFL admit that it was wrong in not listening to players about racism. Commissioner Roger Goodell even said he has urged teams to sign Kaepernick. 

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(Image Credits: Colin Kaepernick Twitter)