It’s been 30 years since Spike Lee’s first feature-length film, She’s Gotta Have It, was released. With its sexually-liberated lead character, her iconic taper haircut and Spike’s innovative way of capturing Brooklyn (which would influence a number of artists and musicians to move in), the film was influential in many ways.
Wednesday’s ????? #TracyCamillaJohns
A photo posted by E.Wash (@applejuicepapi_bbe) on Nov 16, 2016 at 6:51am PST
And while a majority of the cast has only taken on a handful of acting roles since they shot the film in ’86, Tracy Camilla Johns, who played protagonist Nola Darling, seemingly stepped out of the public eye. But she’s back — at least she’s back at Spike Lee’s side. The director has a deal with Netflix to both executive produce and direct a series based on the project. He shared an image earlier today of his new Nola Darling, who will be played by actress DeWanda Wise, standing alongside Johns. It’s safe to say yet again that Black don’t crack:
Historic Day On The Set Of My Netflix Series SHE’S GOTTA HAVE IT-The 1st And Not Last Meeting Between The Original Nola Darling And The Current Nola Darling 30 Damn Years Later. DeWanda Wise Meets Tracy Camilla Johns. Time Marches On. Please Baby, Please Baby, Please Baby Baby Please.
A photo posted by Spike Lee (@officialspikelee) on Jan 20, 2017 at 9:39am PST
Both women are beauties (and actually bear a small resemblance)!
As for Wise, aside from starring as Darling, she also stars in the upcoming Fox drama Shots Fired with Sanaa Lathan and Helen Hunt. She also appears in the second season of Underground alongside her husband, actor and producer Alano Miller, who plays overseer Cato.
She’s just as excited about her leading role as we are about watching it:
Ms. DeWanda Wise Is Ms. Nola Darling. Da New Spike Lee Joint-SHE’S GOTTA HAVE IT For NETFLIX. BLACK WOMAN MAGIC YA-DIG? SHO-NUFF. BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY AND DAT’S DA 3 DECADES TRUTH,RUTH.
A photo posted by Spike Lee (@officialspikelee) on Oct 14, 2016 at 11:34am PDT
It’s been five weeks, so I guess it’s not just a #dream ?????????? #ShesGottaHaveIt #NolaDarling #NolaFBaby
A photo posted by DeWanda Wise (@dewandawise) on Nov 18, 2016 at 8:37am PST
@netflix Is avail in 190 countries you say?! If you’re not yet familiar, lemme introduce you to your new favs. You’re welcome world. ???#JamieOverstreet #GreerChilds #MarsBlackmon #ShesGottaHaveIt #NetflixAndChill (indeed…)
A photo posted by DeWanda Wise (@dewandawise) on Jan 17, 2017 at 9:47am PST
It’s back to werq for Nola F Baby. ??? ? @delivrusfromtia #ShesGottaHaveIt #NolaDarling #BTS #Netflix
A photo posted by DeWanda Wise (@dewandawise) on Jan 4, 2017 at 8:12am PST
It’s unclear when the series will make its premiere on Netflix, but the company ordered 10 episodes running at 30 minutes.
Lee had this to say in a statement about the project after news of Netflix jumping on board spread:
SHE’S GOTTA HAVE IT Has A Very Special Place In My Heart. We Shot This Film In 12 Days (2 Six Day Weeks) Way Back In The Back Back Of The Hot Summer Of 1985 For A Mere Total of $175,000. Funds That We Begged, Borrowed and Whatnot To Get That Money. This Is The 1st Official Spike Lee Feature Film Joint And Everything That We Have Been Blessed With In This Tough Business Of Film All Have Been Due To SGHI. Now With The Passing (August 8th) Of The 30th Anniversary, It’s A Gift That Keeps On Giving. We Are Getting An Opportunity To Revisit These Memorable Characters Who Will Still Be Relevant And Avant Garde 3 Decades Later. With All That Said It Was My Wife, Tonya Lewis Lee, Producer In Her Own Right,Who Had The Vision To Take My Film From The Big Screen And Turn It Into An Episodic Series. It Had Not Occurred To Me At All. Tonya Saw It Plain As Day. I Didn’t. We Are Hyped That NETFLIX Is Onboard With This Vision As Nola Darling, Mars Blackmon, Jamie Overstreet And Greer Childs DO DA DAMN THANG Now, Today In Da Republic Of Brooklyn, New York.”
Can. Not. Wait.
Images via Instagram
