Bill Bellamy Joins Octavia Spencer Netflix Series ‘Madam CJ Walker’

By Will Thorne

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Bill Bellamy has joined the cast of the forthcoming Netflix limited series “Madam CJ Walker,” which tells the story of the black hair care pioneer and mogul.

The four-part series hails from executive producers  and Octavia Spencer, who will also star as the titular Madam. The series is inspired by the book “‘On Her Own Ground’ “by A’Lelia Bundles, Walker’s great-great-granddaughter.

Bellamy will play Sweetness, a smart, savvy numbers banker who gets inspired by Madam Walker’s success and angles for a way to get in good with her, by any means necessary. He joins other previously announced cast members Tiffany Haddish, Carmen Ejogo, Blair Underwood, Garrett Morris, and Kevin Carroll.

The actor and stand-up comedian rose to prominence through his performances on “Comedy Def Jam” in the 1990s. More recently, Bellamy appeared in a recurring role on HBO’s “Insecure.”

The series is slated to premiere on   in 2020. Nicole Jefferson Asher is a co-executive producer and writer on the project, while Janine Sherman Barrois and Elle Johnson will showrun, write and executive produce. Christine Holder, Mark Holder, Maverick Carter, and Jamal Henderson will also executive produce. Kasi Lemmons is in place to direct and executive produce the first episode.