David Leland in Britain" won the Prix Italia (an international Television award) in 1984. In 1986 he wrote the screenplay for the thriller-drama "Mona Lisa", featuring Bob Hoskins. This film was critically acclaimed and Leland earned nominations for the Golden Globe and the Writers Guild of America. He then wrote "Personal Services" in 1986. It was directed by Terry Jones and was about Cynthia Payne, a real-life British madam who ran a private brothel. Julie Walters took the leading role. While "Personal Services" dealt with the adult life of Cynthia Payne, Leland's next film, "Wish You Were Here", concerned her teenage years.
Cynthia Erivo Walking", based on Patrick Ness' trilogy novels. The film will be released in March 2019. In February 2017, it was reported that Erivo was attached to portray the title role in "Harriet", a biographical film about American abolitionist Harriet Tubman The film will begin production in October 2018. and is set for a Fall 2019 release. Cynthia Erivo Cynthia Chinasaokwu O. Erivo (born 8 January 1987) is a British actress, singer, and songwriter. Erivo is known for her performance as Celie in the 2015 Broadway revival of "The Color Purple", for which she won the 2016 Tony Award for Best