'Harriet' trivia and fun facts
First time
Cynthia Erivo's first leading role
A Tony's winners
Cynthia Erivo and Leslie Odom Jr both won Tony's for Lead Actress and Lead Actor in a Musical in 2016 for The Color Purple and Hamilton.
The trace of reality
Both Federick Douglas and John Brown, who Harriet Tubman is known to have collaborated with, make appearances in the movie but without speaking roles. They are simply figures in the background.
Thanks to '12 years a slave' and 'Hidden figures'
The success of 12 Years a Slave and Hidden Figures proved slave films and films with black female leads could be successful causing Harriet to finally get made.
They met before
Both Vondie Curtis-Hall and Vanessa Bell Calloway were in El príncipe de Zamunda (1988).
Disney didn't want it
The script was originally written and owned by Disney but they refused to make the film, the film only was able to get made once Disney relinquished the rights to the script.
Based on real facts
The film is based on the story of the abolitionist Harriet Tubman.