Stephan James has been cast in Fox’s racially charged event series “Shots Fired,” Variety has learned.
The “Selma” and “Race” star — who plays Jesse Owens in the latter film, which is currently in theaters — will star opposite Sanaa Lathan in the project, which explores racial tensions and police shootings. James has been cast in the lead role of a special prosecutor named Preston.
Inspired by recent events that have sparked outrage and the Black Lives Matter movement across the country, “Shots Fired” examines the dangerous aftermath of racially charged shootings in a small town in Tennessee.
Lathan will star as an expert investigator who digs into the cases, alongside a special prosecutor (James) sent to the town by the Department of Justice. The pair must navigate the media attention, public debate and the social unrest that comes with such volatile cases, as they seek justice before the divided town erupts.
“Shots Fired” hails from Gina Prince-Bythewood (“Beyond the Lights,” “The Secret Life of Bees,” “Love & Basketball”) and Reggie Rock Bythewood (“Beyond the Lights,” “Notorious”). No premiere date has been set, but the event series is slated to debut this year.
James is repped by Innovative Artists and manager Norbert Adams at Noble Caplan Abrams.
