Ice Spice Slated to Make Acting Debut in Apple-Backed Spike Lee Film Starring Denzel Washington

Photo Credit: Ice Spice’s Instagram

After skyrocketing to fame in the hip-hop world, Ice Spice is set to make her acting debut in Spike Lee’s Apple and A24-backed upcoming crime thriller ‘High and Low’ starring Denzel Washington.“High and Low,” an English-language reinterpretation of Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 police drama, is the fifth collaboration between actor Denzel Washington and director Spike Lee, but it will mark hip-hop sensation Ice Spice’s acting debut. A24 and Apple Original Films are partnering on the project, which will see a theatrical release through A24 before a global launch on AppleTV+.

Ice Spice rapidly became a household name following her breakthrough single, “Munch (Feelin’ U),” and collaborations with Pink Pantheress, Nicki Minaj, and Taylor Swift. She received four Grammy nominations this year, including Best Rap Song and Best New Artist. Her debut studio album, Y2K, is due out later this year.

Apple Original Films teased photos of Washington and Lee on social media to announce that production for “High and Low” was already underway. Ice Spice has also reportedly begun shooting for the film, the script for which was written by Lee alongside Alan Fox.The fifth collaboration between Spike Lee and Denzel Washington (“Mo’ Better Blues,” “Malcolm X,” “He Got Game,” and “Inside Man,”) and the first since 2006, the film also marks the latest collaboration for Washington and producer Todd Black, following their work on “The Equalizer” franchise, “Fences,” and “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.”

The project will be produced by Todd Black for Escape Artists, and Jason Michael Berman with Jordan Moldo for Mandalay Pictures. Lee will serve as executive producer through his 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks, while Mandalay’s Peter Guber will also executive produce alongside Juniper Productions’ Matthew Lindner, Chris Brigham, and Katia Washington.

Kurosawa’s original 1963 Japanese film was based on the novel “King’s Ransom” by Ed McBain, which tells the story of a businessman’s financial ruin following a ransom payment to kidnappers.