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IMDbPro

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

  • 20202020
  • RR
  • 1h 34m
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
55K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,605
835
Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020)
Chicago, 1927. A recording session. Tensions rise between Ma Rainey (Viola Davis), her ambitious horn player (Chadwick Boseman), and the white management determined to control the legendary "Mother of the Blues." Based on Pulitzer Prize winner August Wilson's play.
Play trailer2:21
33 Videos
99+ Photos
DramaMusic
Tensions rise when trailblazing blues singer Ma Rainey and her band gather at a recording studio in Chicago in 1927.Tensions rise when trailblazing blues singer Ma Rainey and her band gather at a recording studio in Chicago in 1927.Tensions rise when trailblazing blues singer Ma Rainey and her band gather at a recording studio in Chicago in 1927.
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
55K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,605
835
  • Director
    • George C. Wolfe
  • Writers
    • Ruben Santiago-Hudson(screenplay by)
    • August Wilson(based on the play written by)
  • Stars
    • Viola Davis
    • Chadwick Boseman
    • Glynn Turman
  • Director
    • George C. Wolfe
  • Writers
    • Ruben Santiago-Hudson(screenplay by)
    • August Wilson(based on the play written by)
  • Stars
    • Viola Davis
    • Chadwick Boseman
    • Glynn Turman
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 427User reviews
    • 222Critic reviews
    • 87Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 2 Oscars
      • 84 wins & 192 nominations total

    Videos33

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:21
    Watch Official Trailer
    The Rise of Viola Davis
    Clip 4:01
    Watch The Rise of Viola Davis
    Best Moments From the 2021 Oscars Telecast
    Clip 2:54
    Watch Best Moments From the 2021 Oscars Telecast
    Art of the Crew | Production Design
    Clip 1:02
    Watch Art of the Crew | Production Design
    Art of the Crew | Makeup and Hairstyling
    Clip 1:01
    Watch Art of the Crew | Makeup and Hairstyling
    Art of the Crew | Costume Design
    Clip 1:10
    Watch Art of the Crew | Costume Design
    Best Moments From the Golden Globes 2021 Telecast
    Clip 2:53
    Watch Best Moments From the Golden Globes 2021 Telecast
    Golden Globes 2021 Nominations to Know
    Clip 3:27
    Watch Golden Globes 2021 Nominations to Know
    Viola Davis Reflects on Chadwick Boseman's Unapologetic Authenticity
    Clip 1:42
    Watch Viola Davis Reflects on Chadwick Boseman's Unapologetic Authenticity
    Viola Davis Shares the Importance of Unfiltered Black Characters in 'Ma Rainey'
    Clip 1:54
    Watch Viola Davis Shares the Importance of Unfiltered Black Characters in 'Ma Rainey'
    The Most Anticipated Movies and TV Shows to Stream in December
    Clip 3:16
    Watch The Most Anticipated Movies and TV Shows to Stream in December
    Ma Rainey's Black Bottom: Deep Moaning
    Clip 1:24
    Watch Ma Rainey's Black Bottom: Deep Moaning

    Photos134

    Viola Davis, Colman Domingo, and Chadwick Boseman in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020)
    Michael Potts in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020)
    Viola Davis in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020)
    Colman Domingo, Michael Potts, Glynn Turman, and Chadwick Boseman in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020)
    Chadwick Boseman in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020)
    Colman Domingo, Michael Potts, and Glynn Turman in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020)
    Viola Davis in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020)
    Viola Davis in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020)
    Viola Davis, Colman Domingo, Michael Potts, Glynn Turman, Chadwick Boseman, and Dusan Brown in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020)
    Chadwick Boseman in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020)
    Glynn Turman in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020)
    Viola Davis, Dusan Brown, and Taylour Paige in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Viola Davis
    Viola Davis
    • Ma Rainey
    Chadwick Boseman
    Chadwick Boseman
    • Levee
    Glynn Turman
    Glynn Turman
    • Toledo
    Colman Domingo
    Colman Domingo
    • Cutler
    Michael Potts
    Michael Potts
    • Slow Drag
    Jeremy Shamos
    Jeremy Shamos
    • Irvin
    Jonny Coyne
    Jonny Coyne
    • Sturdyvant
    Taylour Paige
    Taylour Paige
    • Dussie Mae
    Dusan Brown
    Dusan Brown
    • Sylvester
    Joshua Harto
    Joshua Harto
    • Policeman
    Quinn VanAntwerp
    Quinn VanAntwerp
    • Band Singer
    Chloe Davis
    Chloe Davis
    • Ma Rainey's Dancer
    Mayte Natalio
    • Ma Rainey's Dancer
    Johanna Elmina Moise
    Johanna Elmina Moise
    • Ma Rainey's Dancer
    • (as Johanna Moise)
    Onyxx Noel
    • Ma Rainey's Dancer
    LaWanda Hopkins
    • Ma Rainey's Dancer
    Sierra Stewart
    • Ma Rainey's Dancer
    Malaiyka Reid
    Malaiyka Reid
    • Ma Rainey's Dancer
    • Director
      • George C. Wolfe
    • Writers
      • Ruben Santiago-Hudson(screenplay by)
      • August Wilson(based on the play written by)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    The Legacy of Chadwick Boseman

    The Legacy of Chadwick Boseman

    Chadwick Boseman is known for his iconic performances in Get on Up, Black Panther, and his final role in the musical drama Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. IMDb takes a celebratory look at his career in film and television.
    Watch the video
    Image caption not available
    3:38

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      In 2015, Denzel Washington announced that he would be bringing all ten of August Wilson's "Century Cycle" plays to the big or small screen. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is the second filmed Wilson adaptation Washington has produced in this cycle, after Fences (2016). In September 2020, Washington told the New York Times that the third film in the series would be The Piano Lesson, and that he hoped to cast his own son John David Washington and Samuel L. Jackson, with Barry Jenkins directing.
    • Goofs
      The action of the film takes place on July 2, 1927. Ma Rainey's car in the film is a Model A Ford which were not introduced to the public until December 1927.
    • Quotes

      Ma Rainey: They don't care nothin' about me. All they want is my voice. Well, I done learned that. And they gonna treat me the way I wanna be treated, no matter how much it hurt them.

    • Crazy credits
      During the first part of the credits, actual photographs of the real Ma Rainey and the musicians who inspired the characters in the play are shown.
    • Connections
      Featured in Sky News @Breakfast: Episode dated 19 December 2020 (2020)
    • Soundtracks
      Deep Moaning Blues
      Written by Ma Rainey (as Gertrude 'Ma' Rainey)
      Produced and Arranged by Branford Marsalis

    User reviews427

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    Nice
    It's a beautiful movie. The performances are amazing and mind blowing specially by Viola Davis, that gives the year's best female performance, and Chadwick Boseman. The character study is great as well. The screenplay is awesome with many interesting and powerful lines. Cinematography, music, costumes and locations are all nice too. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is a very nice movie but still it feels like it's missing something.
    helpful•32
    18
    • atractiveeyes
    • Dec 18, 2020

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    Photos

    FAQ1

    • Did Viola Davis do her own singing or was it dubbed?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 18, 2020 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Black Bottom
    • Filming locations
      • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
    • Production companies
      • Escape Artists
      • Mundy Lane Entertainment
      • Netflix
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 34 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.00 : 1

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    Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020)
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