The trailer for an upcoming film on Harriet Tubman promises an action-packed biopic full of stirring words and intense confrontations.
It’s the most comprehensive look yet at Cynthia Erivo, a Tony winner for “The Color Purple” on Broadway, in the title role of “Harriet,” opening Nov. 1. Tubman is seen fleeting her own captivity, jumping off a bridge into a raging river to escape pursuers. “I’m gonna be free or die,” she informs them.
Arriving safely in Pennsylvania, she turns back to rescue her enslaved family and becomes active with the Underground Railroad, stating her conviction: “God didn’t mean people to own people!”
“Harriet” was directed and co-written by Kasi Lemmons (“Eve’s Bayou,” “Talk to Me”). Erivo also was seen in “Bad Times at the El Royale” and the Chicago-made “Widows.”