About Southside With You (HBO)

"Southside with You" is a 2016 American biographical romantic drama film written and directed by Richard Tanne, in his directorial debut. The movie is inspired by the early years of Barack Obama and Michelle Robinson's relationship and revolves around their first date in 1989.

Making / Production

The movie was first announced in December 2014, and principal photography on the film began in July 2015 in Chicago. Richard Tanne directed the movie from his own screenplay. The film was produced by Tika Sumpter (who also starred as Michelle) and John Legend, among others.

Actors

• Parker Sawyers played the role of a young Barack Obama. He portrays the future president as charming and intellectual man, subtly capturing his speech patterns and charisma.
• Tika Sumpter starred as Michelle Robinson, later known as Michelle Obama. She masterfully portrayed the future First Lady as strong and independent.
• Vanessa Bell Calloway played Marian Shields Robinson, Michelle's mother. She embodied the concerned yet supportive nature of Michelle's mother.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• "Southside with You" premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival.
• The movie was shot over a period of just 15 days.
• While it covers Barack and Michelle's first date, it also incorporates parts of their early life and character development.

Quotes

• "So, what's this boy's name?" - Marian Shields Robinson
• "He's a summer associate I told y'all about. The one from Harvard Law." - Michelle Robinson
• "Yeah, he invited me to a community event." - Michelle Robinson
• "So what's this boy's name?" - Marian Shields Robinson

Music, Soundtrack

• The film's original score was composed by Stephen James Taylor.
• John Legend, who was one of the producers of the film, also contributed a song "Start" to the film's soundtrack.
• The film's soundtrack incorporates various music genres, from soul to jazz, reflecting the eclectic taste of the city of Chicago and the time period of the late '80s.