Viola Davis will play Harriet Tubman in upcoming series

The miniseries will be produced by Steven Spielberg’s Amblin TV and written by “John Adams” scribe Kirk Ellis

Viola Davis will play Harriet Tubman, an African-American abolitionist and activist in the upcoming miniseries for HBO, according to Hollywood Reporter.

The film is based on Kate Clifford Larson’s book “Bound for the Promised Land” and will focus on the courageous efforts of Harriet Tubman who helped hundreds of slaves to secure their freedom through the network of secret routes and safe houses known as Underground Railroad. The film will also depict the Clive War era where she served as a scout and spy for Union Army and continually raised her voice for the justice and social reforms.

The biopic will be produced by Steven Spielberg’s Amblin TV and scripted by Kirk Ellis who has been involved in a number of historical projects before including “Anne Frank” for ABC and a miniseries “John Adams” for HBO. Amblin TV has done two award-winning historical series for HBO, “Band of Brothers” and “The Pacific” while the third miniseries “All the Way” about president Lyndon B. Johnson is about to come. Amblin TV and Kirk Ellis alos have worked together in a miniseries “Into the West”, aired on TNT in 2005.

Viola Davis will be the executive producer of untitled Harriet Tubman miniseries alongside Amblin’s Justin Falvey, Daryl Frank, Doug Ellin, Jim Lefkowitz and Cliff Dorfman as well as her husband Julius Tennon. 

Viola is currently seen on ABC television series “How to Get Away with Murder”, playing the lead role of professor Annalise Keating . She has won Screen Actors Guild Award and People’s Choice Award and a nomination for Godlen Globe Awards for her role in the series.