Friday, March 29, 2024

Laurence Fishburne to Play Alex Haley in A&E’s ‘Roots’ Remake

Actor Laurence Fishburne on stage at the 26th National Memorial Day Concert on May 24, 2015 in Washington, DC.
Actor Laurence Fishburne on stage at the 26th National Memorial Day Concert on May 24, 2015 in Washington, DC.

*Laurence Fishburne is the first major name to join A&E Networks’ remake of the 1977 miniseries, “Roots,” the network announced Wednesday.

The series is set for simulcast on History, A&E and Lifetime in 2016.

Fishburne will play Alex Haley, whose novel “Roots: The Saga of an American Family” birthed the miniseries and traces Haley’s family tree back to the life of Kunta Kinte. The role of Haley was originally portrayed by James Earl Jones.

A&E’s “Roots” will be an original, contemporary production, set to incorporate material from Haley’s novel, as well as carefully researched new scholarship of the time, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Will Packer (“Ride Along”) is set to executive produce alongside original “Roots” star LeVar Burton, who will co-exec produce.

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.”

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