Season One of OWN and Warner Horizon Scripted Television’s Peabody Award-winning series DAVID MAKES MAN, a one-hour lyrical drama created by Academy Award(R)-winning screenwriter and Tony Award-nominated playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney (“Moonlight“), will be available to stream on HBO Max starting July 16.
The series centers on David, a 14-year-old prodigy from the projects who is haunted by the death of his closest friend and relied upon by his hardworking mother to find a way out of poverty. He must choose between the streets that raised him or the higher education that may offer him a way out. Set in South Florida, the series is inspired by events in McCraney’s own life and explores childhood trauma and the power of imagination to survive. In addition to winning the Peabody Award, the critically acclaimed first season of “David Makes Man” received a Critics’ Choice Award nomination for Best Drama, a prestigious Gotham Award nomination, and was named to several critics’ year-end “best of television” lists for 2019. The show has been renewed for a second season by OWN.
Akili McDowell (“Billions,” “The Astronaut Wives Club“) stars in the title role of David alongside Alana Arenas (“Head of Passes“), Isaiah Johnson (“Hamilton“), Ade Chike Torbert (“East Los High“), Travis Coles (“Liza on Demand“), Cayden K. Williams (“Girls Trip“), Nathaniel Logan McIntyre (“Magic Camp“), Jordan Bolger (“Peaky Blinders“), with Emmy(R) nominee/Tony winner Phylicia Rashad (“Creed” films, “Empire,” “The Cosby Show“). Tony winner and Emmy/Golden Globe nominee Ruben Santiago-Hudson (“Lackawanna Blues,” “The Quad,” “Billions“), Elvis Nolasco (“American Crime“), Gillian Williams (“The Girlfriend Experience“), Juanita Jennings (“Star“), Liza Colón-Zayas (“Proven Innocent“), Lindsey Blackwell (“Step Sisters“), Lela Rochon (“Training Day“), Teshi Thomas (“Raven’s Home“) and Nick Creegan all appear in recurring roles.
McCraney serves as executive producer of the series alongside Dee Harris-Lawrence (“Shots Fired,” “Unsolved: The Murders of Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G.“), who serves as showrunner. Mike Kelley and Melissa Loy (“Revenge“), Michael B. Jordan (“Just Mercy“) and Oprah Winfrey are also executive producers. The series is produced by Page Fright, Outlier Society Productions, and Harpo Films in association with Warner Horizon Scripted Television.
