The Iconic Hattie McDaniel Is Getting A Biopic

Variety has reported that Hattie McDaniel, the first black person to win an Academy Award, is finally getting her long overdue biopic.

The actress starred in such films like Gone With The Wind, and frequently played Mammies. Culturally, she represents much more than an actress. As the first black person to win an Oscar, she is cemented in Hollywood history and started the conversation towards equality and equality in casting choices.

Despite her winning the award, she was banned from going to the Gone With The Wind premiere, along with the other black actors.

Producers Alysia Allen and Aaron Magnani have obtained the rights to author Jill Watts’ 2005 biography, Hattie McDaniel: Black Ambition, White Hollywood.

As Refinery 29 reports, “McDaniel was determined to make a name for herself as an actor, often being cast in roles as maids and servicewomen. While she’s revered now for her accomplishments, she was frequently criticized by the Black community and called out by the NAACP for portraying subservient characters. While she was later recognized and celebrated for her accomplishments, even in her death she faced odds. Her final wish was to be buried in Hollywood Cemetery, but she was denied that request due to her race.”