I am so honored to be a part of the gorgeous film "The Birth of a Nation", which has had a record-breaking week at the Sundance Film Festival. Following our spectacular premiere screening yesterday afternoon, we signed a $17.5 million deal with Fox Searchlight this morning. Even though we received a $20 million bid from Netflix, the highest bid in Sundance history, we signed with Fox Searchlight following their enormous Oscar success with "12 Years a Slave" (Best Picture 2014). The response we've gotten from the press and festival has been overwhelmingly positive and exciting.
"The Birth of a Nation" tells the true story of slave-turned-revolutionary Nat Turner, who led a rebellion against the violent slaveowners of Southampton County, VA in 1861. I play Catherine Turner, the daughter of the plantation-owning Turner family, from which Nat took his surname.
This relevant film comes at a time of great social struggle and conversation, and aims to put a spotlight on the racial issues that still plague our country to this day.
Thank you for letting me share my exciting news with you!