EXCLUSIVE: BET+ and MegaMind Media are collaborating on the true crime biopic Fighting To Be Me: The Dwen Curry Story, starring Dyllón Burnside (Pose), D.B. Woodside (9-1-1: Lone Star) and A.J. Johnson (Baby Boy). Curry was first featured in the BET+ hit unscripted series American Gangster: Trap Queens.
From writer La Jill Hunt, the biopic is based on the real-life story of Dwen Curry, born amid the infamous Detroit riots of the late sixties, and raised during the height of the eighties crack cocaine epidemic. The true crime drama tackles the topics of love and identity while diving into Curry’s complex life experiences as a gay celebrity stylist in Oakland who secretly financed a lavish lifestyle by fraudulently acquiring millions to build a criminal empire and survive the violent street lifestyle.
Official synopsis from BET+: “Based on a powerful true-life story, Detroit native Dwen Curry moves to Oakland, California as a teen in the early 90s and overcomes depression, suicidal thoughts and drug addiction. There he finds success as a salon owner and celebrity stylist to LisaRaye McCoy, Mariah Carey, YoYo, Missy Elliot, DMX, and more.
Fueled by his desire for a lavish lifestyle and a drive to take care of those around him, Dwen leads a secret life as the criminal mastermind of an underground organization known as the Gay Gangsters, making millions from fraud. Dwen’s life is even more complicated by his sexuality, identity, and struggles with self-acceptance as Dwen journeys from being a gay man to fully accepting herself as transgender. Dwen’s rise to celebrity is followed by her fall when she is convicted of wire fraud and sent to prison. This coming-of-age tale is filled with glitz, glamor, and gangster moves as we witness Dwen’s trials and eventual triumphs to not only survive but to stand strong in her authentic truth.”
Tressa Azarel Smallwood, Judge Greg Mathis, Dwen Curry, Donte Lee, and Delece James serve as executive producers on Fighting To Be Me: The Dwen Curry Story, with Joe Carroll set to direct. Vanda Lee, Kristin Iris Johnson, and Smallwood are producing the film for MegaMind Media.
The first biopic based on the BET+ American Gangster: Trap Queens series, First Lady of BMF: The Tonesa Welch Story, also executive produced by Smallwood and Mathis, earned nominations for Outstanding Original Television Movie and Outstanding Directing In A Television Movie for Vivica A. Fox, at the 2024 NAACP Image Awards.
Burnside is best known to audiences for his performance as ‘Ricky’ in the Ryan Murphy and Steven Canal’s Emmy-nominated FX series Pose. He has also appeared in Ryan Murphy’s Monster opposite Evan Peters and the American Horror Stories anthology series. He served as the host and producer of Prideland, a one-hour special and short-form digital series for PBS that won a Daytime Emmy and received a GLAAD Award nomination.
On stage, he most recently appeared in London’s West End production of Black Superhero at the Royal Court and on Broadway in the play Thoughts of a Colored Man by Keenan Scott II, directed by Steve H. Broadnax III. Burnside made his Broadway debut in 2014, starring in Holler if Ya Hear Me, a hip-hop musical inspired by the music and lyrics of Tupac Shakur.
