Fresh off of his impressive performance in Blue Caprice, “Mr. Intensity” himself, Isaiah Washington has agreed to star in the upcoming sports film, Game Time Decision, written and directed by Matthew A. Cherry.
Washington will also executive produce the film, which tackles the provocative topic of concussion-related injuries in professional football players. He will play a retired professional football player suffering from a degenerative brain disease who attempts to reconnect with his estranged son to warn him about returning to play a game too soon after sustaining a concussion.
The film will explore Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, a condition which unfortunately is growing more prominent with the failing health and suicides of former gridiron greats, including former Dallas Cowboy star Tony Dorsett, who was diagnosed recently.
“I was shocked to learn my former Bengals teammate Chris Henry, who died at the young age of 26 from a truck accident, suffered from CTE,” Cherry said. “My goal is to truthfully present what life is like for a person that suffers from this disease and to further the conversation on how CTE impacts players and their family members.”
“I have found myself intrigued, educated, deeply moved and empowered by Matthew A. Cherry’s brilliant script,” Washington said. “I can actually see what could have become of me had I been given my childhood dream of becoming a professional football player.”
Cherry, who played professional football as a wide receiver, made his film debut with The Last Fall, starring Lance Gross and Nicole Beharie.
Washington recently starred as Beltway Sniper John Allen Muhammad in the thriller Blue Caprice and is currently featured in John Sayles‘ new film, Go For Sisters with LisaGay Hamilton and Yolonda Ross.
Game Time Decision starts production next spring.
i’m glad to still see Isaiah Washington around after all of the controversy he had to contend with a few years back. just goes to show you can’t keep a good star down, especially a Black one.