Netflix, Colin Kaepernick & Ava DuVernay Align for Limited Series

The new scripted Netflix limited series Colin in Black & White will chart the adolescent life of athlete and activist Colin Kaepernick, with the football quarterback producing alongside Ava DuVernay.

The series will focus on Kaepernick’s formative high school years, lending insight into the acts and experiences that led him to become the activist he is today. The six-episode series provides a look at Kaepernick’s early life as a Black child growing up with a white adopted family and his journey to becoming a great quarterback while defining his identity.

Michael Starrbury writes and serves as executive producer, alongside DuVernay and Kaepernick, who will appear as himself as narrator of the series. Starrbury and DuVernay last worked together on Netflix’s acclaimed When They See Us, which received 16 Emmy Award nominations and was recently honored with a Peabody Award.

“With his act of protest, Colin Kaepernick ignited a national conversation about race and justice with far-reaching consequences for football, culture and for him, personally,” said DuVernay. “Colin’s story has much to say about identity, sports and the enduring spirit of protest and resilience. I couldn’t be happier than to tell this story with the team at Netflix.”

“Too often we see race and Black stories portrayed through a white lens,” said Kaepernick. “We seek to give new perspective to the differing realities that Black people face. We explore the racial conflicts I faced as an adopted Black man in a white community, during my high school years. It’s an honor to bring these stories to life in collaboration with Ava for the world to see.”

“We’re proud to bring Colin’s experience and his creative vision to life as he joins Ava to share his powerful story and message with all our members around the world,” said Cindy Holland, VP of original content for Netflix. “It is an unparalleled union of two strong and defining voices coming together to tell the story about what it’s like to be Black in America.”