Casting For Harriett Tubman Film Seeks Marylanders

CAMBRIDGE, MD — A film to be shown in museums on the life of escaped slave and abolitionist Harriett Tubman is casting local residents. Marinella Hume Casting, the company that recruited for “House of Cards” in the Baltimore area, is looking for actors. The narrative piece will run in one of the Harriet Tubman museums in Cambridge, Marinella said, but the exact location has not been confirmed, The Baltimore Sun reports.

Tubman, a famous Underground Railroad abolitionist who was born as a Maryland slave, was selected during President Obama's tenure in office to replace Andrew Jackson as the face of the $20 bill. But the Trump Administration has backpedaled on the plan, the New York Times reports. In a June 2018 letter to Congress, the Treasury Department praised Tubman but made no commitment on her status on currency.

A period piece set in the early to mid-1800s about Tubman will film in Cambridge Oct. 23-28. Actresses are needed to portray her at various ages, according to the Maryland Film Office. Those selected will be paid $150 a day. Applicants should have natural hairstyles only with no modern hair or nails. Submit your resume, three selfie-style photos, headshots and contact information to Mhcindie@gmail.com.

Hopefuls are instructed to do their own research about Tubman ahead of time.

The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Centerin Dorchester County is operated by the Maryland State Park Service and the National Park Service. It houses permanent exhibits, a film, restrooms, a museum store, an information desk, and a research library. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily except for New Year's Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

For more information about the casting call, visit the Marinella Hume Casting Baltimore/DC Facebook page or the Maryland Film Office website.

Photo Credit: Universal History Archive / Universal Images Group/Shutterstock