With the upcoming love story film of the Obamas in the works, the first major onscreen portrayal of U.S. President Barack Obama has already been handed to Parker Sayers, a newcomer American actor who resides in West London.
The 31-year-old will be taking on the role of Obama in "Southside With You', a romantic movie that follows the story of the President's first date with then future wife Michelle Robinson, who will be played by Tika Sumpter.
Set in 1989, the entire film will focus on the true events that took place as the couple spent their time with each other and carried out witty conversations as they stopped at the Art Institute of Chicago, a theater for Spike Lee's "Do the Right Thing' and the Baskin Robbins ice cream shop where they shared their first kiss.
During this time, Obama was a Harvard Law student in his freshman year and was employed as an associate at Sidley Austin, a Chicago law firm. The Obamas then exchanged wedding vows in 1992.
Although other movies have already been created to focus on Obama's presidency, such projects have mainly highlighted news footage or an off-screen voice for the President. As such, Sawyers will be the first actor to entirely portray Obama.
"It's an honour," Sawyers said in an interview with The Telegraph. "You just try to stay calm but then people ask: do you think he'll watch it? And I'm like, oh man he will watch it, won't he?"
Helmed by Richard Tanne, the romantic comedy drama will reportedly begin shooting in Chicago in August as based on Tanne's own screenplay.
Aside from "Southside With You', audiences can also look forward to Sawyers making an appearance in the Edward Snowden biopic "Snowden' directed by Oliver Stone. He also played roles in "Zero Dark Thirty' and "Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit.'
Meanwhile, Sumpter also took on the role of the singer Yvonne Fair in the James Brown biopic "Get on Up.' She also made an appearance in comedies such as "Ride Along' and "My Man Is a Loser.'
In a report by Deadline, "Southside With You' will follow the format of the romantic comedy "Before Sunrise' helmed by Richard Linklater. The latter went into detail about the events that transpired in a single day involving an American man and a French woman who had gotten to know each other in Vienna.
