Meet the actor who will play a young Barack Obama

Southside With You — an upcoming romantic dramedy about Barack and Michelle Obama's first date — has found its leading man. Actor Parker Sawyers, who has played small roles in films like Zero Dark Thirty, Kick-Ass 2, and Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, will star as the young Barack Obama, opposite the previously cast Tika Sumpter as Michelle:

In an interview last December, producer Stephanie Tracey Bing said Southside With You would be a "smart and timeless film that sheds light on one of the great love stories of our time," as it follows the future president and first lady through their first date in Chicago. The film is expected to hit theaters in 2016.

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Scott Meslow is the entertainment editor for TheWeek.com. He has written about film and television at publications including The Atlantic, POLITICO Magazine, and Vulture.