Morgan Freeman to play Colin Powell in biopic

Los Angeles: Veteran actor Morgan Freeman will star as Colin Powell in an independent biopic on the former U S Secretary of State.

The movie will revolve on the 2003 speech by Powell to the United Nations to seek support for the Bush administration’s plan to forcibly remove Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, based on intelligence that Iraq was developing nuclear weapons, reported Variety.

Powell later described the event as a low point in his career, where the intel reports later stood discredited.

He was the first African American to serve as a Secretary of State.

Reginald Hudlin is attached to direct “Powell”, from a script by Ed Whitworth, which was on the 2011 Black List.

Ashok Amritraj’s Hyde Park Entertainment and Freeman’s Revelations Entertainment will act as production banners.

Freeman also starred in the 2009 historical biopic “Invictus”, portraying South African President Nelson Mandela.

–PTI