Controversy may have put a pause on Colin Kaepernick‘s earnings on the field, but the NFL quarterback is most certainly collecting his off of it.
Because it’s just been confirmed that the footballer turned race activist has signed a major deal with Walt Disney.
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Announced moments ago, the first-look partnership will see the star pair his Ra Vision production company with the media giant to develop scripted and unscripted stories that center on race, social injustice and the quest for equity, and work to showcase directors and producers of color.
In a huge move, the deal will encompass a wide range of Disney’s wide portfolio – including Walt Disney Television, Hulu, Pixar, and ESPN.
The latter will play host to the first fruit of the union, a new Jemele Hill-helmed docu-series chronicling the most recent years of Kaepernick’s life.
Speaking in a statement, the San Francisco 49ers star said:
“I am excited to announce this historic partnership with Disney across all of its platforms to elevate Black and Brown directors, creators, storytellers, and producers, and to inspire the youth with compelling and authentic perspectives.
I look forward to sharing the docu-series on my life story, in addition to many other culturally impactful projects we are developing.”
The news comes on the heels of Kaepernick’s recent deal with Netflix, which will air a scripted series based on his teen years. Ava DuVernay has been tapped to direct.
Already a major star, the sportsman became globally notable when he begun a #BlackLivesMatter kneeling protest during the pre-game performance of the US National Anthem.
The resulting fall-out saw him benched indefinitely, with no team snapping him up — despite widespread shock at his treatment.
Last month, the NFL’s head admitted to being wrong about the kneeling protest.
Suffice to say, the universe is rewarding his commitment to his beliefs in a seismic way.
More power to him.