Atlanta filmmaker Tyler Perry has hired an all-star cast for his WWII-era period piece called Six Triple Eight, which is about the 6888th battalion, the only all-black all-female battalion in World War II.
Big star Oprah Winfrey and Kerry Washington, who will also executive produce, have joined the film, which will initially stream on Netflix.
The film is based on an article by Kevin M. Hymel published in WWII History Magazine.
Tyler Perry Directing Six Triple Eight For Netflix
According to a synopsis from Netflix, Six Triple Eight tells the inspiring true story of the incredible and brave women of the only all-black, all-female World War 2 Battalion. These 855 women joined the war effort with little knowledge of what exactly they would be doing, but were quickly given the mission of a lifetime: sort through and fix the three-year backlog of undelivered mail.
The women rose to the task and succeeded in the face of discrimination, unfamiliar land, and a war-torn country. They persevered and sorted over 17 million pieces of mail, reconnecting American soldiers with their families and loved ones back home. The motto that kept them going each day was one they created themselves: “No Mail, Low Morale.” The women of the 6888 weren’t just delivering mail, they were delivering hope.
Who Is Producing Six Triple Eight?
Six Triple Eight is being executive produced by Peter Guber for Mandalay Pictures. Co-producers will be Nicole Avant for Her Excellency Productions; Keri Selig for Intuition Productions; Carlota Espinosa; Angi Bones and Tony Strickland for Tyler Perry Studios.
Perry and Netflix are in the midst of a multi-project deal that has included A Madea Homecoming and A Fall From Grace, A Jazzman’s Blues, which all debuted on the streaming platform.
It was announced in November 2022 that Perry had inked a four-picture deal with Amazon Studios.
That means that in addition to holding casting calls, he’ll soon be hiring at his movie studio for the latest project and many more.
How To Get Cast In Six Triple Eight
Perry is currently casting for Six Triple Eight at his namesake studios in southwest Atlanta. Read this guide on how to apply for Tyler Perry casting calls.
As a head’s up, you’ll need to be a Georgia resident, submit a COVID test and otherwise meet the requirements of the casting call.
Who Are The Cast Members Of Six Triple Eight?
Aside from Winfrey and Washington, the cast includes Ebony Obsidian, Milauna Jackson, Kylie Jefferson, Shanice Shantay, Sarah Jeffery, Pepi Sonuga, Jay Reeves, Jeanté Godlock, Moriah Brown, Baadja-Lyne Odums, Gregg Sulkin, Dean Norris, Sam Waterston and Susan Sarandon.
Final Word
Perry has had much success with Netflix over the past three years. While Netflix is usually coy about its numbers, A Madea Homecoming notched in the Top 10 in 43 countries, and A Jazzman’s Blues, which was in the Top 10 in 55 countries.
