The story of President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama's first date is being turned into a movie entitled Southside With You, with actress Tika Sumpter signing on to play the First Lady. The story is being compared to Richard Linklater's Before Sunrise, chronicling a 1989 summer afternoon where the future POTUS took his future First Lady on a whirlwind first date throughout the South Side of Chicago. Richard Tanne (Worst Friends) is directing from his original screenplay, with the filmmaker currently searching for the right actor to play Barack Obama.
In the summer of 1989, Barack Obama was a first-year Harvard law student, who took a summer job as an associate at the Chicago law firm Sidley Austin, where he fell for his younger boss, attorney Michelle Robinson. Southside With You is set during the day where Michelle agreed to go out with him, as they visited the Art Institute and watched Spike Lee's breakthrough film Do the Right Thing. The couple were married three years later in 1992.
The project originated with Richard Tanne and actress Tika Sumpter, who both developed the script together and will serve as executive producers. Tracey Bing and Stephanie Allain are also producing, with principal photography set to begin this coming July in Chicago. Here's what Tracey Bing had to say about the project in a statement.
"Stephanie and I are excited to produce this smart and timeless film that sheds light on one of the great love stories of our time. Richard really captures the essence of that romantic connection between Barack and Michelle that is so evident in the way that they look at each other. We are looking forward to finding the perfect Barack."
The site of Barack Obama and Michelle Obama's first kiss, outside a Baskin-Robbins in Chicago's Hyde Park, was commemorated with a plaque in 2012. Tika Sumpter most recently starred in Ride Along and Get on Up, and she will return in the sequel Ride Along 2. Take a look at the brief video below where Barack Obama and Michelle Obama talk about their memorable first date.