Blindspotting - What We Know So Far
Helmed by first-time film director Carlos López Estrada, the 2018 film "Blindspotting" blew critics away when it premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Starring Daveed Diggs ("Hamilton") and Rafael Casal ("Bad Education") as best friends Collin and Miles, "Blindspotting" focuses on Collin's struggle through his last three days of probation. Set in Oakland, California, Collin and Miles are working for a moving company one night when they witness a white cop murder a black suspect, and the incident traumatizes Collin. As he goes through the next few days with nightmares and dark thoughts, questioning the complicated history of racism in American society, Collin begins to reconsider his friendship with Miles, who has started acting erratically. With 173 ratings, "Blindspotting" has a 94% Certified Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and the film was nominated for many awards.
Now in 2021, Diggs and Casal are bringing the story to the small screen with a "Blindspotting" TV series for Starz. Starring Jasmine Cephas Jones, another original "Hamilton" cast member, the series is a continuation of the 2018 film, with Cephas Jones reprising her role as Ashley from the original movie and expanding her story. Ashley is the longtime girlfriend of Miles and the two share a son together named Sean (Atticus Woodward). When Miles is suddenly incarcerated, Ashley is forced to go live with Miles's mother, Rainey (Helen Hunt), and half-sister, resulting in an existential crisis as she struggles through the ordeal.
The series's first season is almost here, and fans of the original film are excited to see more of Ashley, Miles, and Collin's story. Here's everything we know so far about the "Blindspotting" TV show.
What is the release date for Blindspotting Season 1?
Luckily for people who loved "Blindspotting," the television adaptation was able to stay on track with production despite COVID-19 limitations. The series's first season will have eight episodes, all a half-hour long, and the pilot will premiere on June 13, 2021 on the premium cable channel Starz. For those who don't have access to the channel, it's unclear when or if you might be able to stream the episodes anywhere else, but they will likely be available for digital purchase shortly after airing on Starz.
"Blindspotting" will first debut at the Tribeca Festival that runs in New York City from June 9 to June 20. The series is joining a bunch of other highly anticipated series, including Annie Murphy's comedy "Kevin Can F**k Himself" and Peacock's adaptation of the true crime podcast "Dr. Death," starring Joshua Jackson and Christian Slater. According to a Deadline article, the festival claims "to be the first major film festival to host in-person events since the worldwide pandemic began." Whether or not that's true, the Tribeca Festival is a positive sign that the entertainment industry is recovering, and "Blindspotting" is certainly the perfect series to be spotlighted right now.
Who is in the cast of Blindspotting?
Along with Cephas Jones, both Diggs and Casal are reprising their roles from the original film in the upcoming television series. Two other actors in the show, Zack Duhame and Leland Orser, appeared in 2018's "Blindspotting," but they are playing different characters in the TV series. As for new characters in "Blindspotting" on Starz, the main cast is rounded out by Woodward as Ashley's son — originally played by Ziggy Baitinger in the film — along with Jaylen Barron, Benjamin Earl Turner, and Candace Nicholas-Lippman.
Barron has previously appeared in shows like "Shameless" and "Free Rein," and she will portray Miles's wild younger half-sister Trish. Although she may be a lot to deal with, Trish's intensely loyal to those she cares for. Turner, who likely connected with "Blindspotting" creators Casal and Diggs through their #BARS Workshop lab series, will play a character named Earl (via Variety). Earl is "fresh out of jail and wearing an ankle bracelet while doing a year of house arrest. He is just trying to kill time and lay low." Also in the main cast is Nicholas-Lippman as Ashley's friend Janelle. According to the same Variety article, Nicholas-Lippman was discovered through an open casting call, and her character is described as "equal parts TOWN as hell and worldly."
What is the plot of the Blindspotting TV series?
Following the events of "Blindspotting" the film, the television series will shift focus to Cephas Jones's Ashley. Ashley has been with Miles for 12 years, and they have a young son together. On New Year's Eve, Miles is arrested, leaving Ashley and Sean with nowhere to go except Miles's mother Rainey's house, where Miles's younger sister Trish also lives. Ashley doesn't get along very well with Trish, and the new, claustrophobic environment isn't great for her state of mind.
Left to take care of her family all on her own, Ashley suffers through a job that is going nowhere, while Miles's situation isn't looking good. Like the film version, the characters of "Blindspotting" break the fourth wall to address the audience, while hip-hop music sequences add life and unique style to the storytelling. In an exclusive statement to Variety, Diggs described the series as "a story about how a broken prison system affects all of us and, like the film, we're using comedy to talk about very real systemic effects in the country with the largest prison population in the world."