‘How To Get Away With Murder’ Viola Davis To Play Harriet Tubman For HBO TV Movie

Best known for her TV role as Professor Annalise Keating in Shonda Rhimes pilot “How To Get Away with Murder,” Viola Davis is set to portray the famous abolitionist Harriet Tubman for HBO’s TV movie. Based on the biography “Bound For The Promised Land: Harriet Tubman: Portrait of an American Hero” by Kate Clifford Larson, the upcoming show tells the story of an American slave during the Civil War-era.

The untitled biopic follows the story of Tubman, a slave who escaped her tragic life via an “intricate escape network of secret routes and safe houses known as the Underground Railroad.” The famous abolitionist led more than 300 slaves to freedom in the North and joined the Union to fight against slavery during the Civil War, according to Deadline.

“This is the third Underground Railroad-related project in the works: WGN has a 10-episode production titled “Underground” helmed by Akiva Goldsman, while NBC is working on miniseries “Freedom Run,” produced by Stevie Wonder,” Time reports.

To be penned by Kirk Ellis, the developing TV movie will be executive produced by Davis alongside Darryl Frank, Justin Falvey, Cliff Dorfman, Julius Tennon, Doug Ellin and Jim Lefkowitz. Ellis is known for his Emmy-winning HBO miniseries “John Adams.” Amblin TV, another developer of the show, also comes with an impressive ties with the Network with its miniseries “Band of Brothers” and “The Pacific.”

Meanwhile, Davis is set to reprise his role in ABC’s “How To Get Away With Murder” after the show’s successful first season. Featuring an ensemble cast of actors, HTGAWM stars Billy Brown, Alfred Enoch, Jack Falahee, Katie Findlay, Aja Naomi King, Matt McGory, Karla Souza, Charlie Weber and Liza Weil.

The show premiered in Sept. 2014 and received positive reviews from the critic, mostly praising the “Ender’s Game” star stellar performance. Best known for delivering “chills with melodramatic twists,” “How To Get Away With Murder” is not officially renewed but based on a spot aired after the show’s Season 1 finale the killer show will be for a second run.

The 15-second spot suggest the “Empire” Season 2 is definitely happening and the announcement is only a formality. Last season ended with Rebecca’s (Findlay) sudden death, so fans of the show will just have to wait for the upcoming season to find out who the murderer is, Wes (Gibbins) or Annalise (Davis).

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