The story of 24-year-old NYSE equity trader Lauren Simmons will become a film starring Kiersey Clemons
Equity trader Lauren Simmons has signed a deal with production company AGC Studios to turn the inspiring story of her journey to becoming the youngest full-time female trader on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange into a film.
Actress Kiersey Clemons will produce the film and also play Simmons on the big screen.
In June, CNBC Make It explored Simmons' journey in a widely-circulated profile and video. Simmons moved to New York after graduating from college in December 2016 with an initial plan for a career in medicine. A love of math drove her to pursue finance instead, and she landed a job at Rosenblatt Securities after applying through LinkedIn. She had one month to study for and take the Series 19, the exam all floor brokers must pass to earn their badge. She passed, becoming the youngest, and at the time, only, full-time female trader at the NYSE.
She says that in June, multiple production studios reaching out to her to discuss developing a biopic.
"I ultimately decided [on] AGC because of Kiersey," says Simmons. "I got to meet Kiersey and felt she resembled me a lot. She has such a beautiful personality and she genuinely wanted to share my story. Out of everyone that I met, I knew that she would do it very [honestly], and not make it into a story that isn't true."
Simmons, who is represented by the talent agency Paradigm, will receive a producer's credit on the film and will also serve as a consultant. "I'll be very hands-on with the project," she says.
Currently, at 24 years old, Simmons is still the youngest and only the second African-American woman to ever serve as a full-time trader on the floor of the NYSE. Recently, she says, another woman has joined her as a full-time trader, and she emphasizes the importance of the other women who paved the way for them.
"Muriel Siebert was the first woman on the floor," she says. "I've made that clear, that I'm not the first."
Simmons says that after speaking with the BBC and CNBC Make It, she was invited to participate in several international speaking events. "I've been able to travel to five different countries since then and share my story," she says. "I always tell people to be fearless, you know, to take risks and to be bold."
She says she hopes that the film, which doesn't have a release date yet, will inspire many other people to go after their own goals so that they, too, can share their success.
"If my story motivates other young women, and women of color, then I'm absolutely honored. I want my story to do that," she says. "I want there to be more success stories. I want to hear more women doing more things, especially being bold in male-dominated fields."
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