Charmaine Wilkerson’s Black Cake is headed to the small screen, with Adrienne Warren set to star, Deadline reports.
Wilkerson’s novel, published in February by Ballantine, tells the story of two siblings whose mother dies and wills them a traditional Caribbean fruitcake and an audio file in which she reveals secrets about her life. A reviewer for Kirkus called Wilkerson “clearly an author to watch,” and wrote, “There is plenty to savor in this ambitious and accomplished debut.” The novel was Jenna Bush Hager’s Today show book club pick for February.
The Tony Award–winning Warren, known for her roles in Broadway shows such as Bring It On and Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, will play Benny, one of the siblings.
Andrew Dosunmu, whose previous films include Restless City and Mother of George, is set to direct the pilot, which will air on Hulu. Oprah Winfrey will serve as one of the show’s executive producers, along with Marissa Jo Cerar, who has written for 13 Reasons Why and The Handmaid’s Tale.
On Instagram, Warren wrote, “This story is so special. I can’t wait to share it with you all.”
And Wilkerson weighed in, “So honored to see the talented [Warren and Dosunmu] joining the team of creative professionals working on BLACKCAKE the screen series for Hulu.”
Michael Schaub, a journalist and regular contributor to NPR, lives near Austin, Texas.
