Really!? An Exec Suggested Julia Roberts Play Harriet Tubman In Movie

Source: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin / Getty

From Pretty Woman to Harriet?  Sounds a bit off to us but a movie executive thought that Julia Roberts would be perfect to play the once slave turned abolitionist in the movie ‘Harriet.’

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Rewind to 1994 to when screenwriter and producer of the film ‘Harriet’ Gregory Allen was shopping the film around to movie executives, yes it sounds crazy that a film sometimes takes this long to get picked up but hear us out.

According to Entertainment Weekly, in a recent interview, Allen recalled that Hollywood was “very different” in the mid-90s.  So different that a suggestion was made to Allen about who the lading role of Harriet Tubman should be in his film, Julia Roberts!

“I was told how one studio head said in a meeting, ‘This script is fantastic. Let’s get Julia Roberts to play Harriet Tubman,’” Allen explained. “When someone pointed out that Roberts couldn’t be Harriet, the executive responded, ‘It was so long ago. No one is going to know the difference.’”

Can you imagine?!  Thank God the film took twenty-five years to get picked up and Cynthia Erivo was chosen to play Harriet Tubman.

Source: Universal History Archive / Getty

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#BlackTwitter Is Pulling Up To The Harriet Tubman Movie Like…

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#BlackTwitter Is Pulling Up To The Harriet Tubman Movie Like…

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Harriet Tubman wasn't just a conductor on the Underground Railroad, she was an armed scout & spy for the Union Army who helped lead a raid on Confederates in SC that freed hundreds of enslaved people. She fought for women's suffrage & founded a home for the elderly. 1/

— Bree Newsome Bass (@BreeNewsome) July 23, 2019

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Harriet Tubman was really an OG. I hope this film does her radical work justice.

— Evette Dionne 🏁 (@freeblackgirl) July 23, 2019

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I’m personally tired of seeing black trauma via slave movies being captured by Hollywood. However, if it gives a job to a black actress/actor, I can’t be mad at that. #HarrietTubman pic.twitter.com/G1dLvBHt2U

— Mint Phresh (@mint_phresh) July 23, 2019

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I don’t get out to the movies a lot... but this right here👌🏾✊🏾💯 #TeamDL #Repost @theshaderoom with get_repost
・・・#PressPlay: Okayyy!! How we pulling up to the #HarrietTubman movie #Roommates?! https://t.co/DAKtZo1gyC

— DL Hughley (@RealDLHughley) July 23, 2019

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Continue reading #BlackTwitter Is Pulling Up To The Harriet Tubman Movie Like…

#BlackTwitter Is Pulling Up To The Harriet Tubman Movie Like…

[caption id="attachment_3053740" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Source: Focus Feature Films / Harriet[/caption] We’ve read about Harriet Tubman’s inspirational story in history books and now her triumphant tale is coming to the big screen. Cynthia Erivo will star as the iconic freedom fighter in the upcoming film Harriet. According to the press release, Harriet will chronicle “her courage, ingenuity, and tenacity” as she “freed hundreds of slaves and changed the course of history.” Cynthia Erivo, Leslie Odom Jr., Janelle Monáe, Joe Alwyn, Jennifer Nettles, Clarke Peters star in the heroic film  See the trailer and what #BlackTwitter is saying about it, below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqoEs4cG6Uw

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Really!? An Exec Suggested Julia Roberts Play Harriet Tubman In Movie  was originally published on mycolumbusmagic.com