Vivica A. Fox Becomes POTUS in Crossbreed

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Vivica A. Fox has been cast to play the President of the United States in the sci-fi film “Crossbreed,” which is being directed by Brandon Slagle.

In the upcoming movie, Ms. Fox plays a USA president who sends war veterans on a mission to retrieve an alien whose DNA is being used to make weapons. My research tells me that this might be the first time a black woman has played president of the USA in a live-action film. Alfre Woodard did so on a TV series, “State of Affairs,” during the 2014-2015 TV season. But it hasn’t happened on the big screen; certainly not at the studio level. There could be indie feature films made over the years in which a black woman was cast as President, but I’m not aware of any.

It’s rare in film history for a woman (of any color) to play president on screen (film or TV); so it shouldn’t be a surprise that it’s even more rare (more like unlikely) that a black woman play the POTUS – again, especially at the Hollywood studio level. There have been black actors (male) who’ve played the POTUS on the big screen (film) – Danny Glover, Chris Rock, Morgan Freeman, Jamie Foxx, Louis Gossett, Jr., and several others. But my research tells me that a black actress has never played the POTUS in a live-action movie.

However, if anyone reading this has some information that I don’t, do share.

“When my producers brought up the idea of Vivica in the role, it was a lightning bolt. It was a fantastic idea. Someone who could light up a room but also has a commanding presence. Our President is positive and proactive, not the grim figure as is usually portrayed in these types of movies,” the filmmaker, Brandon Slagle, said of Fox’s casting.

“Crossbreed,” which is described as a throwback to action films of the 1980’s, will also star Stink Fisher, Devanny Pinn, Vernon Wells and John T. Woods.

Liz Cuppie is producing; Donna and John Kopp are executive producers.

The indie film is set to begin filming in Los Angeles in October.

Fox, who was most recently seen on the big screen in “Independence Day: Resurgence,” and on the small screen in “Empire,” is repped by Media Artists Group.