Don Cheadle To Executive Produce Project About Wall Street’s First Black Millionaire

Throughout his entire career actor Don Cheadle has used his artistry to bring powerful narratives to life on screen and for his next act, he’ll do so from the producer’s chair. According to Variety, he’s creating a series about Wall Street’s first Black millionaire.

HBO Max to Develop Series About ‘Wall Street’s First Black Millionaire,’ Don Cheadle and Steven Soderbergh Producing (EXCLUSIVE) https://t.co/HxIPEvbqEm

— Variety (@Variety) January 13, 2022

The project—which is being developed under HBO Max—will capture the story of broker Jeremiah G. Hamilton. Hailing from Haiti, the businessman became a successful trader during the 1800s. He cultivated his fortune by implementing a model in which he pooled money from a collective of investors, recognized today as a hedge fund. He was known as the wealthiest Black man of the 19th century, however, his rise to prominence didn’t come without twists and turns. He reportedly profited off of schemes that scammed insurance companies. Due to his illegal matters, he was given the nickname “Prince of Darkness.” Through the stock market, real estate investments and his other ventures, he accumulated nearly $12 million.

The HBO Max series, which will be executive produced by Cheadle and Steven Soderbergh, will be based on a novel about Hamilton titled Prince of Darkness: The Untold Story of Jeremiah G. Hamilton, Wall Street’s First Black Millionaire which was penned by Shane White. Other creatives who will work on the project include Ashley Nicole Black, Carlos Foglia and Keith Josef Adkins. Karyn Smith-Forge, Aaron Saidman, Eli Holzman and Steven Baigelman will serve as executive producers.

News about the project comes nearly three years after Cheadle launched his own production company dubbed Radicle Act. “With the advent of Radicle Act, we hope to live up to the namesake and seed the landscape, producing new and exciting material across multiple platforms,” he said in a statement. Amongst Cheadle’s production credits are films Miles Ahead—which explored the life and legacy of legendary jazz musician Miles Davis—The Guard and Traitor, Talk to Me and Flight.

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