'RHOA' Star Cynthia Bailey & Former NFL Tight End Vernon Davis Head Up New Sports Drama: 'Diamond'

The Real Housewives of Atlanta star Cynthia Bailey, NFL tight end–turned–actor Vernon Davis, and All’s Fair actor Jemarcus Kilgore lead Diamond, a coming-of-age sports drama centered on 17-year-old basketball prodigy Diamond McCarren.

According to Deadline, Kilgore plays the title role, a phenom desperate to break free from a cycle of trauma while chasing a Division I scholarship. His father, portrayed by Davis, is incarcerated; his mother, played by Bailey, is sinking deeper into heroin addiction.

When a college coach finally comes to scout him, tragedy hits when his mother overdoses. Forced to choose between his future and the only parent he has left, Diamond makes a decision that reshapes his understanding of loyalty, ambition, and manhood. That sacrifice becomes the first real step toward repairing a fractured family.

DeShon Hardy (The Lake on Clinton Road) has written Diamond and will also direct and produce it. Davis is on board as an executive producer through his Reel 85 Productions banner. Filming begins this weekend in Asbury Park, New Jersey.

“Diamond is more than a sports story,” Hardy said, calling it a film about resilience, survival, generational trauma, and the power of love. “I wanted to shine a light on the strength it takes for families to rise above circumstance, and how even in the darkest places, hope can survive.”

Davis added that he was immediately drawn to the script’s honesty and emotional depth, saying he’s proud to help bring a project to life that entertains while sparking conversation and inspiring change. Bailey said the script “really touched” her and showed “how families can stay together through any and everything,” adding she knew she wanted to be in it the moment she read it.

As of this writing, Diamond doesn't have a projected release date or a platform it calls home.