Forest Whitaker leads Black Nativity

(Cover) - EN Movies - Forest Whitaker will reportedly take on the leading role in Black Nativity.

Blackfilm.com reports that the Academy Award-winning actor has signed up to depict a number of personas in the film adaptation of the popular gospel musical.

Black Nativity’s plot centres on a teenager who spends an awkward Christmas with his grandparents. His grandfather’s sermon gives rise to a dream sequence that tells the biblical story of the birth of Jesus Christ.

The play was originally written by American author Langston Hughes and first appeared off-Broadway in 1961.

Samuel L. Jackson and Laurence Fishburne were originally attached to the feature, but have since dropped out.

Forest will be acting alongside Jennifer Hudson and Angela Bassett.

Kasi Lemmons will direct Black Nativity.

Production on the film will begin in early 2013.

Forest will next be seen in next year’s thriller Pawn and horror film Vipaka.