Wanda Sykes is taking a swing at dramatic acting.
Seismic Releasing has acquired director Tamika Miller’s boxing drama feature, Undercard, and will release it theatrically Feb. 27, The Hollywood Reporter has exclusively learned. Sykes leads the cast that also includes Bentley Green (White Men Can’t Jump), Xavier Mills (Chad Powers), William Stanford Davis (Abbott Elementary), Roselyn Sánchez (Rush Hour 2), Berto Colón (Orange Is the New Black) and Estella Kahiha (The Woman in the Yard).
Undercard follows Sykes as Cheryl “No Mercy” Stewart, a former boxing champion and recovering alcoholic who reaches out to her estranged 21-year-old son, Keith (Green). The pair strike an uneasy alliance as they seek to help Keith’s own boxing career get back on track.
Miller (Honor Student) helmed the movie from a script she co-wrote with Anita M. Cal. The project premiered at last year’s Newport Beach Film Festival, where it won the audience award for best U.S. narrative feature. The trailer, which is exclusive to THR, is below.
Sykes is known for such credits as History Of The World: Part II, The Upshaws, Monster in Law and Curb Your Enthusiasm. Undercard marks her first dramatic role.
“Undercard has been a labor of love for over a decade, and seeing Wanda Sykes in her first dramatic role has been extraordinary,” says Miller. “Bentley Green delivers a remarkable, heartfelt performance as her son, bringing real depth to their story. This film is about resilience, courage and the battles we fight both in and out of the ring. I’m proud of our entire cast and grateful to Catalyst Studios for bringing this story to life.”
Adds Sykes, “Finally! This project has been in the works for years. I’m excited for the audience to see on the big screen, the love that was poured into the making of this film, from top to bottom.”
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