'Roots' Remake Finds Its Kunta Kinte

'Roots' Remake Finds Its Kunta Kinte, Deadline has confirmed that up-and-coming British actor Malachi Kirby has been cast as Kunta Kinte in A+E Networks’ remake of Alex Haley’s seminal Roots. The event TV series will follow the iconic character as he is captured from his homeland Gambia and sold into slavery in America, along the way witnessing the American Revolution and Civil War.Roots starts shooting next month in South Africa and New Orleans and will air in 2016 on Lifetime, A+E and the History Channel. Haley’s opus was previously broadcast in a landmark adaptation in 1977 with LeVar Burton in the lead role.

Lawrence Konner, Mark Rosenthal, Alison McDonald and Charles Murray have written the new adaptation. Exec producers are Will Packer, Marc Toberoff, Marc Wolper, Lawrence Konner and Mark Rosenthal. Burton and Korin Huggins are co-exec producers. A+E Studios International is distributing.

Kirby is repped by Femi Oguns and Jonathan Hall at Identity Agency Group. Identity also reps Star Wars‘ John Boyega, who Deadline revealed was set to board The Circle opposite Emma Watson. The company has also established the UK’s first black drama school and is becoming a breeding ground for gifted young actors. The agency also reps Simona Brown (A Casual Vacancy) and Damson Idris (Snowfall).
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