Season 1
Roots is an American television miniseries developed as a remake of the 1977 miniseries of the same name which is a historical portrait of American slavery, recounting the journey of one family and their will to survive and ultimately carry on their legacy despite hardship.
Based on the bestseller by Alex Haley, Roots follows the story of Kunta Kinte who is captured in his homeland in the Gambia and transported to colonial America where he's sold into slavery.
The A+E Studios production features an all-star cast including Forest Whitaker (The Butler) as Fiddler, Anna Paquin (True Blood) as Nancy Holt; Jonathan Rhys Meyers (The Tudors) as Tom Lea; Anika Noni Rose (Dream Girls) as Kizzy; Chad L. Coleman (The Walking Dead) as Mingo; Erica Tazel (Justified) as Matilda; and Derek Luke (Captain America: The First Avenger, Antwone Fisher) as Silla Ba Dibba.
Laurence Fishburne (Black-ish) plays the role of Alex Haley.
Newcomers Malachi Kirby and Regé-Jean Page (Survivor, Waterloo) play the iconic roles of Kunta Kinte and Chicken George. Malachi was handpicked by executive producers Will Packer and LeVar Burton, who played the original Kunta Kinte in the earlier version.
Mtunzini's Umlalazi River and the Dlinza Forest near Eshowe in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa were used for filming, doubling for scripted areas in Gambia and along the Kambay Bolongo River, where Kinte is taken prisoner, transported down the river and put on to a ship to be sent to America.
The list of directors includes Mario van Peebles (Posse, New Jack City); Bruce Beresford (Tender Mercies, Breaker Morant, Driving Miss Daisy); Phillip Noyce (Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger) and Thomas Carter (Coach, Gifted Hands, The Ben Carson Story).
Roots is an A+E Studios production in association with Marc Toberoff and The Wolper Organization, the company that produced the original Roots. Will Packer, Marc Toberoff, Mark Wolper, Lawrence Konner, Mark Rosenthal and Barry Jossen serve as executive producers. LeVar Burton and Korin D. Huggins are co-executive producers. Questlove is executive music producer.
Roots is directed by Phillip Noyce, Mario Van Peebles, Thomas Carter and Bruce Beresford. Arturo Interian and Michael Stiller serve as Executives in Charge of Production for HISTORY.
Starring Cast
(scroll to bottom for available actor bios)
Part 1
Laurence Fishburne
as
Alex Haley (voice)
Matthew Goode
as
Dr. William Waller
Malachi Kirby
as
Kunta Kinte
Derek Luke
as
Silla Ba Dibba
Babatunde Olusanmokun
as
Omoro Kinte
James Purefoy
as
John Waller
Forest Whitaker
as
Fiddler
Kedar Williams-Stirling
as
Sitafa
Hakeem Kae-Kazim
as
Samson
Katie McGuinness
as
Elizabeth Waller
Part 2
Emayatzy Corinealdi
as
Belle
Emyri Crutchfield
as
Teen Miss Kizzy
Matthew Goode
as
Dr. William Waller
Malachi Kirby
as
Kunta Kinte
Katie McGuinness
as
Elizabeth Waller
Jonathan Rhys Myers
as
Tom Lea
James Purefoy
as
John Waller
Mandela Van Peebles
as
Noah
Forest Whitaker
as
Fiddler
Shannon Lucio
as
Patricia Lea
Part 3
Shannon Lucio
as
Patricia Lea
Jonathan Rhys Myers
as
Tom Lea
Regé-Jean Page
as
Chicken George
Michael James Shaw
as
Marcellus
Brett Rice
as
William Byrd
Part 4
Laurence Fishburne
as
Alex Haley
Lane Garrison
as
Frederick Murray
Tip "T.I." Harris
as
Cyrus
Jonathan Rhys Myers
as
Tom Lea
Regé-Jean Page
as
Chicken George
Anna Paquin
as
Nancy Holt
Mekhi Phifer
as
Jerusalem
Sedale Threatt, Jr.
as
Tom