If there were any doubts in your mind that Idris Elba is a heavyweight contender for Best Actor at the Oscars early next year, this latest trailer should dispel them.
Justin Chadwick’s anticipated biopic of the South African President has had its debut out in Toronto, and it’s not long before it will be heading into cinemas on both sides of the Atlantic.
The story of South African freedom fighter Nelson Mandela, spanning over seventy years, including his struggle against apartheid, 27 years in jail, and his rise to prominence as a political leader and head-of-state.
This epic motion picture spans Mandela’s extraordinary life, from his childhood in a rural village through to his inauguration as the first democratically elected President of South Africa. MANDELA: LONG WALK TO FREEDOM is the thrilling story of an ordinary man who rose to the challenge of his times and triumphed – an intimate portrait of the making of a modern icon.
Naomie Harris, best known for her role in Skyfall, looks to be stellar as Elba’s on-screen wife, Winnie Mandela. And starring alongside the leading duo are Tony Kgoroge, Riaad Moosa, Zolani Mkiva, Jamie Bartlett, Deon Lotz, Terry Pheto, and Lindiwe Matshikiza.
Chadwick (The Other Boleyn Girl) is directing from a script penned by William Nicholson, whose past credits include Les Misérables and Gladiator, the latter of which earned him an Oscar nomination back in 2001.
Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom will begin its limited release in the US through TWC on November 29th, before coming to the UK on 3rd January. Smart money definitely pegs this one as a contender for the Oscars, BAFTAs, and pretty much all the major players in the upcoming awards season.
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