Moonlight breakout Trevante Rhodes has been tapped to play Iron Mike in the streamer’s limited series, Tyson.
From the team behind I, Tonya, the eight-episode drama will explore the wild, tragic and controversial life and career behind what Hulu calls “one of the most polarizing figures in sports culture.” Mike is not involved with the series in any capacity, though sources say Hulu executives briefed him and his team on the series a couple months ago.
I, Tonya screenwriter Steven Rogers created the series, with Karin Gist (Fox’s upcoming Our Kind of People) attached to serve as showrunner and executive producer. The series hails from Disney’s 20th Television. I, Tonya helmer Craig Gillespie will also exec produce and direct the series. Fellow exec producers include I, Tonya‘s Margot Robbie and her LuckyChap colleague Tom Ackerley. Entertainment 360’s Darin Friedman will also exec produce alongside Clubhouse Pictures’ Bryan Unkeless and Scott Morgan. Rhodes will also exec produce the series.
Iron Mike is considered one of the greatest heavyweight champion of all time, he was convicted of rape and served three years of a six-year prison sentence. Mike staged a boxing comeback after his release and lost in a 1997 rematch against Evander Holyfield in which he was famously disqualified for biting off a piece of his opponent’s ear. He retired in 2006 but returned to the ring against Roy Jones Jr. last year.
Rhodes’ casting brings him back to Hulu following his role in the streamer’s feature The United States vs. Billie Holiday. His credits include his role as adult Chiron in the Oscar-winning Moonlight and Netflix’s Birdbox. He’s repped by Jackoway Austen.
Picked up straight to series in January, Mike immediately blasted the show as “tone deaf cultural misappropriation” of his life story. Iron Mikr is attached to exec produce a scripted series about his life, with Jamie Foxx attached to star. That project does not yet have a network attached.
