A+E Networks is getting its Roots casting underway in a big fashion.
Laurence Fishburne has been tapped to star in the remake of the 1977 miniseries — which is set to be simulcast on History, A&E and Lifetime — A+E Networks announced Wednesday.
The Black-ish star will play Alex Haley, the author of the novel Roots: The Saga of an American Family, an American family origin story based around the life of Kunta Kinte. Roots, which will be an original, contemporary production, will incorporate material from Haley’s novel, as well as carefully researched new scholarship about the time period over which it spans. The role was portrayed by James Earl Jones in the 1977 original.
Will Packer (Ride Along) is set to executive produce alongside original Roots star LeVar Burton, who will co-exec produce. Mark Wolper also will serve as an EP on the A+E Studios production in association with Marc Toberoff and The Wolper Organization.
Tony winner Fishburne earned an Emmy nomination in 1993 for his portrayal of Martin in Tribeca and a year after scored an Oscar nom for best actor for his role as Ike Turner in What’s Love Got to Do With It. He next appears in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice in addition to co-starring and exec producing ABC’s sophomore comedy Black-ish. He’s repped by Paradigm, Landmark Artists Management and Del Shaw.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
