The true story of a brilliant but politically radical debate team coach who uses the power of words to transform a group of underdog African-American college students into a historical powerhouse that took on the Harvard elite.
Cast
Denzel Whitaker
James Farmer Jr.
Denzel Washington
Melvin B. Tolson
Nate Parker
Henry Lowe
Jurnee Smollett
Samantha Booke
Forest Whitaker
Dr. James Farmer Sr.
Kimberly Elise
Pearl Farmer
Jermaine Williams
Hamilton Burgess
Gina Ravera
Ruth Tolson
John Heard
Sheriff Dozier
Devyn A. Tyler
Helen Farmer
Trenton McClain Boyd
Nathaniel Farmer
Ritchie Montgomery
Deputy
Jackson Walker
Pig Owner
Tim Parati
Pig Farmer
Robert X. Golphin
Dunbar Reed
Justice Leak
Harland Osbourne
Glen Powell
Harvard Debater #1
Brad Watkins
Harvard Debater #2
Brian Smiar
Harvard Dean
Damien Leake
Wilson
Voltaire Sterling
Paul Quinn Debater #1
Stephen Rider
Paul Quinn Debater #2
Gordon Danniels
Paul Quinn Debate Judge
Donny Boaz
Oklahoma City College Debater #1
Samuel Elliott Whisnant
Oklahoma City College Debater #2
Bonnie Johnson
Dr. Jennings
Charissa Allen
Benita
Michael Beasley
Trudell
Gary Mathis
Enormous Man
George Wilson
Samuel
Fahnlohnee R. Harris
Clementine
Harold Evans
William Taylor
J.D. Evermore
Captain Wainwright
Sharon Jones
Lila
Kelvin Payton
Joseph
Southey Blanton
White Labor Organizer
Michael Mattison
White Sharecropper #1
Jeff Braun
White Sharecropper #2
Milton R. Gipson
Prairie View Professor
Frank Ridley
Security Guard
Jeremiah Kissel
Radio Announcer at Harvard Debate
Jack Radosta
White Man at Lynching
Alvin Youngblood Hart
Juke Joint Musician #1
Dom Flemons
Juke Joint Musician #2
Justin Robinson
Juke Joint Musician #3
Rhiannon Giddens
Juke Joint Musician #4
Ahmad Powell
Fisk Professor
Marcus Lyle Brown
Howard Debater #1
Gary Mattis
Enormous Man
Kevin Beard
Klansman at Lynching (uncredited)
Crew
Denzel Washington
Director
Robert Eisele
Screenplay, Story
Jeffrey Porro
Story
Hughes Winborne
Editor
John Breinholt
Co-Editor, Editorial Coordinator
Philippe Rousselot
Director of Photography
Gary Tolbert
Aerial Director of Photography
Jono Oliver
First Assistant Director
Greg Hale
Second Assistant Director
Kali R. Harrison
Second Second Assistant Director
George Bott
Additional Second Assistant Director
Gary Damian Thomas
Storyboard Artist
Nicki Johnson
Assistant Production Coordinator
Jeff Valeri
Production Coordinator
David Crockett
Executive Producer, Unit Production Manager
Bob Weinstein
Executive Producer
Harvey Weinstein
Executive Producer
Valerie Bleth Sharp
Production Supervisor
Todd Black
Producer
Kate Forte
Producer
Joe Roth
Producer
Oprah Winfrey
Producer
Melody Fowler
Associate Producer
Valeria Scoon
Associate Producer
Molly Allen
Co-Producer
Patrick Tendai Pfupajena
Production Assistant
David J. Bomba
Production Design
Mark La Bonge
"A" Camera Operator, Steadicam Operator
Pamela Rittelmeyer
First Assistant "A" Camera, "B" Camera Operator
Xiomara Comrie
First Assistant "A" Camera, Second Assistant "A" Camera
Sean J. O'Shea
First Assistant "B" Camera
Darryl Humber
Dolly Grip
Tiffani L. Stephenson
Camera Loader
Ian Crockett
Post Production Coordinator
Brian McNulty
Post Production Supervisor
Natalie Ballesteros
Casting Assistant
Angela Demo
Casting Associate
Denise Chamian
Casting
Christopher Gray
Extras Casting
Christian Juneau
Extras Casting Assistant
Riki Lin Sabusawa
Key Costumer
Yvonne Bastidos
Set Costumer
Mitzi Haralson
Set Costumer
Jodie Stern
Assistant Costume Designer
Diah Wymont
Assistant Costume Designer
Dana Kay Hart
Costume Supervisor
Sharen Davis
Costume Design
Frank Perry Rose
Costumer
Kenneth Walker
Hair Department Head
Belinda Anderson
Key Hair Stylist
Larry M. Cherry
Hairstylist
Andrea Young
Hairstylist
Andrea Bowman
Hairstylist
Janice Hudson
Hairstylist
Valerie Gladstone-Appel
Assistant Hairstylist
Carl Fullerton
Makeup Department Head
Matiki Anoff
Key Makeup Artist
Denise Pugh-Ruiz
Assistant Makeup Artist
Linda Lazar
Makeup Artist
LaToya Henderson
Makeup Artist
Nikki I Brown
Makeup Artist
Shellie Gillespie
Art Department Coordinator
Dillon Jim Breithaupt
Art Department Assistant
Rob Simons
Assistant Art Director
Dorian Cheah
Sound Designer
Jon Wakeham
Sound Effects Editor
John Marquis
Sound Effects Editor
Herwig Maurer
Sound Effects Editor
Tim Tuchrello
Sound Effects Editor
Kami Asgar
Supervising Sound Editor
Sean McCormack
Supervising Sound Editor
Eryne Prine
Assistant Sound Editor
Jacob Riehle
First Assistant Sound Editor
Tateum Kohut
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Greg Orloff
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Rick Kline
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Willie D. Burton
Sound Mixer
Fred Peck III
Sound Recordist
Gary A. Theard
Boom Operator
Jonathan Klein
Foley Supervisor
Amy Kane
Foley Artist
Elizabeth Rainey
Foley Artist
Anita Cannella
Foley Artist
Michael Dressel
Foley Editor
Carmine Rubino
Foley Mixer
Kim Drummond
ADR Supervisor
Erin Oakley
ADR Editor
Brian Smith
ADR Mixer
Howard London
ADR Mixer
Jeffery D. Woodrel
Special Effects Coordinator
Jack Lynch
Special Effects Supervisor
Greg Nicotero
Special Effects Makeup Artist
Howard Berger
Special Effects Makeup Artist
James Newton Howard
Original Music Composer
Peter Golub
Original Music Composer
G. Marq Roswell
Music Supervisor
Todd Kasow
Music Editor
Barbara McDermott
Music Editor
Richard A. Davis
Transportation Captain
Justin Nance
Transportation Co-Captain
Ted Moser
Transportation Coordinator
Alison Cannon
Production Accountant
Anne Scott
First Assistant Accountant
David Hickey
Payroll Accountant
Frederick Shear
Assistant Accountant
Jamie Horwitz
Assistant Accountant
Scott G.G. Haller
Dialogue Editor
Stephen Beasley
Rigging Gaffer
Ted Sapp
Key Rigging Grip
Patrick Cassidy
Set Decoration
Helen Britten
Assistant Set Decoration
Jerry G. Henery
Construction Coordinator
Dean Allison
Construction Foreman
Scott Childers
Construction Foreman
C. Alan Berry
Props
David Lee
Still Photographer
Karen Golden
Script Supervisor
James Babineaux
Best Boy Electric
Kei Rowan-Young
Location Manager
Alex Borys
Assistant Location Manager
Christina DeCharles
Assistant Location Manager
Austin Anderson
Animal Coordinator
James Passanante
Paint Coordinator
Kevin Beard
Stunts
Bobby Beckles
Stunts
Gregg Brazzel
Stunts
Lex D. Geddings
Stunts
Thirl Haston
Stunts
Jim Henry
Stunts
Eric Norris
Stunts
Russell Towery
Stunts
Gerard 'Gus' Williams
Stunts
Joe Nin Williams
Stunts
Steven Ritzi
Stunt Coordinator
Stephen A. Pope
Stunt Coordinator
Robert Powell
Stunt Double
John Bankson
Property Master
Virle S. Reid
Assistant Property Master
Riko Schatke
Best Boy Grip
Jacob Ross
Best Boy Grip
C. Alan Rawlins Sr.
Key Grip
Jack English
Gaffer
Giselle Spence
Seamstress
Frances Jacques-LeCompte
Seamstress
Geraud Brisson
Additional Editor
Lois Yaroshefsky
Studio Teacher
Cid Swank
Unit Publicist
John R. Jensen
Art Direction
Nannette Palmer
Set Medic
Natalia Anderson
Production Secretary
Tommy Samona
Leadman
Larry Misselhorn
Greensman
Ryan Misselhorn
Greensman
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