When They See Us

Filed to: When They See Us

When They See Us Complete Trailer / Netflix (YouTube)

The much-anticipated series chronicling the Central Park Five, When They See Us, is nearing its debut, and we now have more footage to whet our appetite.

A teaser trailer for the upcoming limited series was released in March, now it’s time for the full trailer.

Jharrel Jerome in When They See Us. Photo : Courtesy of Netflix


“Every black male who was in the park last night is a suspect; I need all of them.”



Those words, expressed by the New York City Police Department in the new trailer, represents the moment Antron McCray’s, Yusef Salaam’s, Raymond Santana, Jr.’s, Kevin Richardson’s and Korey Wise’s lives were unfortunately changed forever.


When They See Us Photo : Courtesy of Netflix

The synopsis, as provided by press release:



Based on a true story that gripped the country, When They See Us will chronicle the notorious case of five teenagers of color, labeled the Central Park Five, who were convicted of a rape they did not commit. The four part limited series will focus on the five teenagers from Harlem — Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana and Korey Wise. Beginning in the spring of 1989, when the teenagers were first questioned about the incident, the series will span 25 years, highlighting their exoneration in 2002 and the settlement reached with the city of New York in 2014. When They See Us was created by Ava DuVernay, who also co-wrote and directed the four parts. Jeff Skoll and Jonathan King from Participant Media, Oprah Winfrey from Harpo Films, and Jane Rosenthal, Berry Welsh and Robert De Niro from Tribeca Productions executive produced the limited series alongside DuVernay through her banner, Array FilmWorks. In addition to DuVernay, Attica Locke, Robin Swicord, and Michael Starrbury also served as writers on the limited series. The series stars Emmy Award Nominee Michael K. Williams, Academy Award Nominee Vera Farmiga, Emmy Award Winner John Leguizamo, Academy Award Nominee and Emmy Award Winner Felicity Huffman, Emmy Award Nominee Niecy Nash, Emmy Award Winner and two-time Golden Globe Nominee Blair Underwood, Emmy Award and Grammy Award Winner and Tony Award Nominee Christopher Jackson, Joshua Jackson, Omar J. Dorsey, Adepero Oduye, Famke Janssen, Aurora Perrineau, William Sadler, Jharrel Jerome, Jovan Adepo, Aunjanue Ellis, Kylie Bunbury, Marsha Stephanie Blake, Storm Reid, Dascha Polanco, Chris Chalk, Freddy Miyares, Justin Cunningham, Ethan Herisse, Caleel Harris, Marquis Rodriguez, and Asante Blackk.


It’s also important to note that the release of the trailer coincides with the day of the attack, which occurred 30 years prior on April 19, 1989. The five young men were exonerated when a convicted rapist and murderer, Matias Reyes, confessed to the crime in 2002.


“Why they doing us like this?” young Kevin asks through tears, as vulnerably portrayed by Asante Blackk.

“What other way they ever do us?” young Raymond retorts, portrayed by Marquis Rodriguez.


Message.

When They See Us Photo : Courtesy of Netflix


When They See Us debuts as a four-part limited series on Netflix May 31.

