This is Noah’s first project with Viacom, the parent company of Comedy Central, and will be released through its venture, Day Zero Productions. Oscar victor Nyong’o will play Noah’s mother Patricia in the film based on the SA comedian’s autobiography. The expansive partnership with Noah and Day Zero echoes a far-reaching deal Viacom signed with prolific writer, director, producer and actor Tyler Perry previous year, granting the company first-look rights to feature films and guaranteeing 90 episodes of new content for BET and other networks beginning next spring. Viacom, which owns Comedy Central, will also make an investment in Day Zero, but financial terms of the transaction are yet to be disclosed. Tommy is a Tony Award nominee with a history as the first woman of colour to be nominated for Best Director of a Play.

Noah added: “I’ve found a strong and incredibly valuable partnership in Viacom”. Noah will produce the project through Day Zero with Norman Aladjem, Derek Van Pelt and Sanaz Yamin of Mainstay Entertainment, and Nyong’o through her Eba Productions. “The Daily Show” has always been one of the company’s signature programs, but it has struggled to keep many of its correspondents and personalities under its own roof. In recent years, comedians like Stephen Colbert, Samantha Bee and John Oliver have all moved to rival media companies, where they ahve notched larger presence and new influence. “We are particularly proud that “Born a Crime” will be produced and distributed by Paramount”.

Since Noah took over The Daily Show from Stewart in 2015, he’s established his own version of the biting political commentary for which the show is beloved, his largely filtered through the lens of his upbringing as the biracial son of a black mother and white father in apartheid South Africa. In February, Netflix unveiled a deal to create a late-night series for “Daily Show” contributor Michelle Wolf. Last September, Comedy Central renewed Noah’s contract to continue hosting The Daily Show through 2022. “Our shared vision of bringing diverse cultural conversations and exciting creative projects to the forefront of the entertainment industry and to our constantly expanding audience, continues to strengthen our relationship. He is just getting started”.

“So, when I went home to Cape Town for Christmas in 2016 I gave my dad, my brother, and some uncles this book Born A Crime by Trevor Noah for Christmas presents”.