A local football star is coming soon to a screen near you.
Production company Downrange Production, Inc. will begin filming the next season of the Netflix show “QB1: Beyond the Lights,” which will feature Eastside High School star quarterback Anthony Richardson.
The show is a documentary on Netflix that follows high school football players in their final season as they prepare for Division I college football.
Richardson’s episodes are expected to be released in 2020, said Jackie Johnson, district spokesperson.
The school district previously denied the production company’s request to film due to issues with liabilities and student privacy, but it was approved after further negotiation with the Alachua County Public School District.
Despite the former challenges, the district is eager for the opportunities this will bring Richardson, Johnson said.
“Anthony is a wonderful kid and we certainly didn’t want to prevent him from participating in this,” Johnson said.
Richardson, 17, is committed to UF and began filming with the production company over the summer, she said. Although he plays football for Eastside High School, he will be graduating early from the Professional Academies Magnet at Loften High School in December and will be filming at both schools.
Eastside High School head football coach, Cedderick Daniels, has been working with Richardson for four years and has enjoyed seeing him accomplish his dreams, Daniels said.
“It’s been an honor to have him,” Daniels said. “It goes beyond football. He’s a great athlete, but the thing that stands out most about him is that he’s a good kid.”
Contact Melissa Hernandez at mhernandez@alligator.org. Follow her on Twitter @melissamh_.
Anthony Richardson, 17, will be featured on season 4 of the Netflix show "QB1: Beyond the Lights." Richardson is the star quarterback of the Eastside High School football team.
