P-Valley star J. Alphonse Nicholson is spreading his wings and exploring an opportunity on the big screen. Deadline has reported that Nicholson has secured a deal to star alongside Neal McDonough and Casey Cott in a film called Black Spartans. Led by Insecure producer Ben Cory Jones, the film is set to begin production in Atlanta, Georgia this fall.
“Exploring the explosive era of the mid-1960s where social upheaval paved the way for a new order in college football, Jones’ feature directorial debut tells the story of the first fully integrated college football team,” the film’s description reads, according to Deadline.
“The film is inspired by the Michigan State Spartans coached by Duffy Daugherty, which forever changed the face of the sport.”
Nicholson is set to play the role of Michigan State Spartans Quarterback Jimmy Raye. The 86-year-old football mind currently serves as a senior adviser to NFL vice-president Troy Vincent. Prior to his work with the NFL, Raye was a football standout at the segregated E. E. Smith High School in Fayetteville, North Carolina. After graduating from high school, Raye joined Duffy Daugherty at Michigan State and became the first Black quarterback from the south to win a national title. As a pro, Raye played two seasons in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Rams before embarking on a 42-year coaching career.
