Thanks to the buzz about Openly gay professional athletes created by Jason Collins and Michael Sam, “Halloween” actress Jamie Lee Curtis has started developing a feature film based on the life of Out MLB baseball player Glenn Burke.
Regular readers of Cypher Avenue should be very familiar with Glenn Burke as we’ve discussed him here on the site since way back in 2011.
The film, written and co-produced by Ross Katz (best known for producing “Lost in Translation”) , will be adapted from Burke’s own memoir, “Out At Home: The Glenn Burke Story.”
“With Michael Sam’s brave and bold statement, he joins the trifecta of American sports – Glenn Burke, MLB; Jason Collins, NBA; Michael Sam, NFL – dealing with gay athletes, and forcing open the door permanently.” Jamie Lee Curtis said.
My picks for the actor to play Glenn Burke: Michael B. Jordan. It would be interesting to see if he would be brave enough to take on such a role.
It should be noted that while Glenn Burke is considered the first openly gay Major League Baseball player, he did not come out to the public until after his retirement. This is shadowed by the fact that most, if not all, of his teammates knew that he was gay. He did not try to hide his sexuality, he just didn’t wear it on his sleeve as a defining trait…something that’s highly encouraged nowadays.
Although Burke passed away in 1995, his legacy will live on.
I just don’t see Michael B Jordan in this role at all. I’m leery of film adaptions of books since they rarely ever live up to the actual books. @Nick, was the documentary included in your original piece ever finished and released? I would love to see actual footage and interview with those that knew him. Either way, i’m happy to see something about us getting greenlit.
good move Jamie Lee…dont see Michael j playing him either…sorry too pretty….
Would be nice to see a completely new actor portray Burke. Hollywood (Black and White) recycles the same actors over and over again. Open the doors and introduce us to a completely new face.
I wonder how this will be received by majority of black heterosexuals.
Am I the only one that is tired of the “captain save a nigga” “white knight” mentality that goes on with our stories being told in hollywood today?
I think I understand your point but maybe I’m thinking of something else. Care to expand on your thoughts?
Essentially why is it that the only group of people that can tell our stories are non-PoC. https://www.facebook.com/griotDAMONE/posts/713854328646179?comment_id=7054788&offset=0&total_comments=8&ref=notif¬if_t=feed_comment_reply
Because they can afford to and have the resources to.
Frankly…the majority of black gay content creators suck horribly at telling “our” stories.
I want to be with you on this but if they didn’t who else would?
This is great that someone wants to tell his story. I can understand the post by J’s Destiny but who else should or will tell his story if those who claim him as one of their own can’t or won’t.