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