Regina King To Make Directorial Debut With 'One Night in Miami'

Regina King seems to be in the best phase of her career these days. After winning an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for If Beale Street Could Talk, King was the leading face in the immensely critically acclaimed hit, Watchmen a month ago.

And now, King is all set and rolling to be making her feature directorial debut with One Night in Miami. The 1960s-set movie, now shooting in New Orleans, stars Kingsley Ben-Adir as Malcolm X and Riverdale star Eli Goree as Cassius Clay, later to become boxer and civil rights activist Muhammad Ali.

The ensemble cast playing African American icons includes Aldis Hodge as NFL star Jim Brown and Leslie Odom Jr. performing the role of singing legend Sam Cooke. One Night in Miami is based on Kemp Powers' 2013 stage play, with Powers also penning the film adaptation.

King will also executive produce alongside Powers. She is a three-time Emmy Award winner (American Crime, Seven Seconds) and a Golden Globe nominated actress (American Crime).

One Night in Miami is set on the night of Feb. 25, 1964, and portrays a young Cassius Clay after in real life he became the new heavyweight boxing champion of the world following his surprise defeat of Sonny Liston. Clay stayed the night at the Hampton House Motel in Miami’s African American Overtown neighborhood, where he celebrated with friends.

Regina's stage-to-screen adaptation then imagines Clay spending the night in the hotel with Malcolm X, Sam Cooke and Jim Brown as the four men discuss their responsibilities in moving the country forward to equality and empowerment for all African Americans.

"One Night in Miami is a love letter to black manhood that powerfully explores themes of race, identity and friendship,” says King in a statement. "We’re so excited to have Kingsley, Eli, Aldis and Leslie in the lead roles showing a different side of these iconic men."