TV One announced that filming for its Marvin Sapp biopic is underway. Chaz Lamar Shepherd (“Marvel’s Luke Cage” “The Game”) will take on the lead role as Marvin Sapp. Joining Shepherd is Ambre Anderson (“Power Book II” “Manifest Evil”) who is cast as Sapp’s wife, MaLinda Prince Sapp. The film is scheduled for an August 21 release on TV One.

“It is an honor to tell Marvin Sapp’s life story,” said TV One’s Executive Producer Jason Ryan. “His vast contributions to gospel and American music are undeniable. We know this film will resonate with our viewers.”

The Marvin Sapp biopic chronicles the prominent gospel music artist and preacher’s Michigan upbringing, battle against teenage alcohol abuse, love for MaLinda Prince, rise in the music industry and growth in his faith. Sapp came into prominence more than 30 years ago as a member of Commissioned and is widely known for his award-winning, chart-topping crossover hit “Never Would Have Made It.” Currently, he is an author, radio show host and senior pastor of The Chosen Vessel Cathedral in Dallas, Texas and pastor emeritus of Lighthouse Full Life Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan – the church he founded with his late wife.

The film is directed by Russ Parr and produced for TV One by Swirl Films, with Eric F. Tomosunas, James Seppelfrick and Keith Neal serving as Executive Producers. Additionally, Marvin Sapp and Phil Thornton are Executive Producers. For TV One, Jason Ryan is the Executive Producer in Charge of Production, Donyell Kennedy-McCullough is Senior Director of Talent & Casting and Susan Henry is Senior Director of Original Programming and Production.

For more information about TV One’s upcoming programming, including original movies, visit the network’s companion website at http://www.tvone.tv. TV One viewers can also join the conversation by connecting via social media on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

ABOUT TV ONE NETWORKS

TV One Networks is the hub of black culture and entertainment with a broad offering of original programming and classic series, serving both diverse audiences for TV One and CLEO TV. Launched in January 2004, TV One currently serves 43 million households and CLEO TV, launched in January 2019, is the sister network with a 34.9 million household reach. Each network has a unique audience that serves viewers with fan favorites from TV One such as Unsung, Uncensored, Fatal Attraction, ATL Homicide, Life therapy, Don’t Waste Your Pretty and Urban One Honors. While CLEO TV, a lifestyle and entertainment network targeting Millennial and Gen X women of color, delivers content that uplifts and inspires today’s modern-day woman. Viewers of CLEO TV can expect award-winning content in both original and acquired series including Culture Kitchen, Living by Design, New Soul Kitchen, Just Eats with Chef JJ, Tia Mowry’s Quick Fix and All Things Adrienne House to Home. Both networks are solely owned by Urban One, Inc., formerly known as Radio One, Inc. [NASDAQ: UONE and UONEK, www.urban1.com], the largest African-American owned and operated multi-media company.

ABOUT SWIRL FILMS

Swirl Films is America’s “number one urban film production company,” a full-service film & television production company with over 60 original productions in the past six years, focusing on urban content and programming, independent features and multi-camera productions. Swirl Films is a major content provider for TV One including the original productions: Love Under New Management: The Miki Howard Story (2016), which was TV One’s first ever biopic, starring LisaRaye McCoy, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Darius McCrary, Indirah Khan and Teyonah Parris as Howard. According to the network, the film broke record ratings, undeniably becoming the top original film in the network’s history drawing in 2 million views, resulting in the networks highest ratings week ever. Quickly surpassing those numbers is TV One’s #1 original premiere of all time, When Love Kills: The Falicia Blakely Story (2017), starring Lance Gross, Niatia Kirkland and Tami Roman, directed by actress Tasha Smith. Swirl Films previous production credits for TV One include Born Again Virgin, starring Danielle Nicolet, Meagan Holder and Eva Marcille; Here We Go Again, starring LeToya Luckett, Wendy Raquel Robinson and Kyndall Ferguson; Russ Parr’s award-winning film, The Under shepherd, Hear No Evil and 35 & Ticking (Kevin Hart).