Ma Raineyвђ™s Black Bottom (2020) May 2026

: Played by Viola Davis , who underwent a significant physical transformation and earned an Academy Award nomination for the role.

(2020) is a biographical drama directed by George C. Wolfe and produced by Denzel Washington. Based on August Wilson's 1984 play , the film captures a single, tension-filled recording session in 1920s Chicago . Plot & Themes

: Ma Rainey’s unapologetic assertion of her worth and her open bisexuality for the time. Key Cast and Crew Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020)

: Featuring Colman Domingo as Cutler, Glynn Turman as Toledo, and Michael Potts as Slow Drag.

The story follows the legendary "Mother of the Blues," Ma Rainey, as she battles her white management for control over her music. Simultaneously, her ambitious young trumpeter, Levee, clashes with his bandmates while attempting to modernize Ma's sound to fit his own aspirations. The film explores themes of: : Played by Viola Davis , who underwent

: Played by Chadwick Boseman in his final film role before his death in August 2020. He received a posthumous Oscar nomination for this performance.

: The historical exploitation of Black musicians by white-owned recording industries. Based on August Wilson's 1984 play , the

: Characters share stories that reveal the deep-seated psychological scars of systemic racism.