‘Top Boy’ Star Jasmine Jobson to Lead Biopic ‘In the Shadows’ as British-Somali Boxer Ramla Ali; True Brit Boards as U.K. Distributor (EXCLUSIVE)
BAFTA-winning “Top Boy” star Jasmine Jobson — recently seen in Andrea Arnold’s Cannes-bowing “Bird” — is set to play trailblazing Somali-British professional boxer, model and UNICEF Ambassador Ramla Ali in “In the Shadows.” She takes over from Letitia Wright, who was attached when the project was first announced last year.
Filming has now begun in London on the feature, which will also star Finn Cole (“Last Breath,” “Peaky Blinders,” “Fast & Furious 9”) as Ali’s husband, Richard Moore, while Gershwyn Eustache Jr (“Andor,” “Small Axe,” “Fortitude”) plays her boxing coach.
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“In the Shadows” will mark the narrative feature debut of Emmy Award and three-time BAFTA-winning documentarian Anthony Wonke (“Dettori,” “Syria: Children on the Frontline,” Ronaldo”). The film is produced by BAFTA winner and Oscar-nomination producer Lee Magiday (“The Favourite,” “The Lobster”), Madeleine Sanderson (“Being AP,” “Fighting for a City”), and presented by Civic Studios (“Christmas Karma, Schirkoa: In Lies We Trust”). The film’s subject Ali will serve as an executive producer.
The film is being co-financed by Civic Studios, Affine Films, and The World We Want Studios. Meanwhile, True Brit Entertainment has boarded the film for the U.K. Altitude is handling international sales.
“In the Shadows” will tell the true story of refugee Ali who, without the knowledge of her strictly Muslim parents in London, secretly pursued boxing to become the first Somali-British professional boxing champion. It was at the boxing club where she trained that she met her future husband, Richard Moore, who converted to Islam — a testament to his profound love for her. The film will explore both Ali’s drive to succeed despite numerous obstacles in and out of the ring — a drive that helped her become the first boxer, male or female, to represent Somalia at the the 2020 Olympic Games and the first-ever professional female boxing match in Said Arabia — and the love story between her and Moore as they navigate racial and cultural barriers.
“It’s a complete honour to take on the role of Ramla and to be trusted to help share her incredible story,” said Jobson/ “Not only to celebrate her talent, strength, and determination as a boundary-breaking athlete — but also as an incredibly inspirational Somali woman who has overcome huge adversity. Her experience of arriving in the U.K. as a refugee is important and has the power to educate and empower people at a time of so much division. I’m thrilled to get started.”
Added Ali: “I, along with everyone else, fell in love with Jasmine after seeing her incredible performance as Jaq in ‘Top Boy.’ She understands more than anyone the true experience of growing up in London and fighting for yourself and your place in this world. She brings with her an incredible amount of authenticity, rawness, and real emotion that can’t be taught. I couldn’t be more excited to see her embody me on the screen.”
The film is executive produced by Zygi Kamasa for True Brit Entertainment, Will Clarke, Andy Mayson and Mike Runagall for Altitude, Anushka Shah for Civic Studios, Richard Fearn and Jane Reid Fearn at Affine Films, Natasha Mudhar for The World We Want Studios, Anne Sheehan, Ali and Richard Moore.
“There is no doubt Jasmine Jobson is one of Britain’s finest and most exciting actors out there today and brings an incredible intelligence and emotionally raw honesty to her roles,” said Wonke. “Ramla’s story is one of perseverance and bravery against the odds and we couldn’t be more delighted to have an actor that so connects and empathises with Ramla’s story in such a profound way.”
Added Magiday: “Ramla’s journey is a deeply inspiring tale of self-belief and commitment. From a young refugee to Boxing Champion and founder of her charity Sisters Club, Ramla has forged a path for future generations of young women. In bringing her story to the screen, our hope is to ignite passion and courage in everyone who dares to dream.”
The screenplay is written by playwright and screenwriter Ursula Rani Sarma (“Bodkin,” “Delicious”). Christopher Aoun (“Capernaum”) will serve as cinematographer and Kharmel Cochrane (“A Quiet Place: Day One,” “Saltburn,” “Rye Lane”) is casting the film.
‘As the nation is gripped by a summer of sport, we’re delighted to announce we’re bringing Ramla’s inspiring true story and British sporting triumph to the big screen,” said True Brit CEO Zygi Kamasa. “The film brings together some of the UK’s most exciting talent both on and off screen to tell this remarkable tale of grit and determination.”
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