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''Roots'' is a 2016 American miniseries and a remake of the 1977 miniseries with the same name, based on
Alex Haley Alexander Murray Palmer Haley (August 11, 1921 – February 10, 1992) was an American writer and the author of the 1976 book '' Roots: The Saga of an American Family.'' ABC adapted the book as a television miniseries of the same name and a ...
's 1976 novel, '' Roots: The Saga of an American Family'', which follows an African man who is shipped to North America as a slave and his descendents. It first aired on May 30, 2016 and stars
Malachi Kirby Malachi Kirby is a British actor and writer. He gained prominence through his roles in the 2016 ''Roots'' remake and the ''Black Mirror'' episode "Men Against Fire". He earned a BAFTA for his performance in '' Small Axe'': ''Mangrove''. Early ...
,
Forest Whitaker Forest Steven Whitaker (born July 15, 1961) is an American actor. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Forest Whitaker, various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a British Academy Film Award ...
,
Anna Paquin Anna Hélène Paquin ( ; born 24 July 1982) is a New Zealand actress. Born in Winnipeg and raised in Wellington, Paquin made her acting debut portraying Flora McGrath in the romantic drama film ''The Piano'' (1993), for which she won the Aca ...
,
Laurence Fishburne Laurence John Fishburne III (born July 30, 1961) is an American actor. He is a three time Emmy Award and Tony Award winning actor known for his roles on stage and screen. He has been hailed for his forceful, militant, and authoritative charact ...
,
Jonathan Rhys Meyers Jonathan Rhys Meyers (born Jonathan Michael Francis O'Keeffe; 27 July 1977) is an Irish actor, model and musician. He is known for his roles in the films ''Michael Collins (film), Michael Collins'' (1996), ''Velvet Goldmine'' (1998), ''Titus (f ...
,
Anika Noni Rose Anika Noni Rose (born September 6, 1972) is an American actress and singer. She is best known for voicing Tiana, Disney's first African-American princess, as seen in ''The Princess and the Frog'' (2009). She was named a Disney Legend in 2011. S ...
, T.I. and South African actress Nokuthula Ledwaba. It was produced on a budget of $50 million.


Plot

Part 1 In 1767,
Kunta Kinte Kunta Kinte ( – ; ) is a character in the 1976 novel '' Roots: The Saga of an American Family'' by American author Alex Haley. Kunta Kinte was based on one of Haley's ancestors, a Gambian man who was born around 1750, enslaved, and taken to ...
(
Malachi Kirby Malachi Kirby is a British actor and writer. He gained prominence through his roles in the 2016 ''Roots'' remake and the ''Black Mirror'' episode "Men Against Fire". He earned a BAFTA for his performance in '' Small Axe'': ''Mangrove''. Early ...
) is a young
Mandinka Mandinka, Mandika, Mandinkha, Mandinko, or Mandingo may refer to: Media * ''Mandingo'' (novel), a bestselling novel published in 1957 * ''Mandingo'' (film), a 1975 film based on the eponymous 1957 novel * ''Mandingo (play)'', a play by Jack Kir ...
man from
Jufureh Jufureh (also spelled Juffureh or Juffure) is a town in the Gambia, 30 kilometers inland on the north bank of the River Gambia in the North Bank Division near James Island. The town is home to a museum and Fort Jillifree. Jufureh is known for it ...
in
the Gambia The Gambia,, ff, Gammbi, ar, غامبيا officially the Republic of The Gambia, is a country in West Africa. It is the smallest country within mainland AfricaHoare, Ben. (2002) ''The Kingfisher A-Z Encyclopedia'', Kingfisher Publicatio ...
region of
West Africa West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Maurit ...
. One day, Kunta is taken into the
jungle A jungle is land covered with dense forest and tangled vegetation, usually in tropical climates. Application of the term has varied greatly during the past recent century. Etymology The word ''jungle'' originates from the Sanskrit word ''jaṅ ...
with other Mandinka youth as part of their training to become
warrior A warrior is a person specializing in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal or clan-based warrior culture society that recognizes a separate warrior aristocracies, class, or caste. History Warriors seem to have been p ...
s. During a test where Kunta is made to run through the jungle in a certain period of time, he sees a man's dead body lying in a
canoe A canoe is a lightweight narrow water vessel, typically pointed at both ends and open on top, propelled by one or more seated or kneeling paddlers facing the direction of travel and using a single-bladed paddle. In British English, the term ...
. Kunta then sees the rival Koro family in another group of canoes, hunting for slaves to sell to European slave traders. After returning home, Kunta reports his discovery to his teachers, who decided in light of this information that Kunta' training must come to an end. After undergoing an initiation ceremony and becoming a warrior, Kunta tells his father that he wishes to attend a university in
Timbuktu Timbuktu ( ; french: Tombouctou; Koyra Chiini: ); tmh, label=Tuareg, script=Tfng, ⵜⵏⴱⴾⵜ, Tin Buqt a city in Mali, situated north of the Niger River. The town is the capital of the Tombouctou Region, one of the eight administrativ ...
; in response to his father disagreeing with him, Kunta runs off into the jungle where he meets up with his lover, Jinna. The two are suddenly surrounded by the Koro family, who intend to
ransom Ransom is the practice of holding a prisoner or item to extort money or property to secure their release, or the sum of money involved in such a practice. When ransom means "payment", the word comes via Old French ''rançon'' from Latin ''red ...
Kunta back to his relatives. However, Kunta manages to escape, killing one of the Koro family in the process before being recaptured. The Koro family subsequently decide to sell Kunta and Jinna to the crew of the ''
Lord Ligonier Field Marshal John Ligonier, 1st Earl Ligonier, (7 November 168028 April 1770), was a French Huguenot exile, born Jean Louis de Ligonier in Castres, Southern France. He had a long and distinguished career in the British army and was appointed ...
'', a British
slave ship Slave ships were large cargo ships specially built or converted from the 17th to the 19th century for transporting slaves. Such ships were also known as "Guineamen" because the trade involved human trafficking to and from the Guinea coast ...
. After Kunta and Jinna are brought onboard the ''Lord Ligonier'', they discover that Kunta's uncle, Silla, has also been sold into slavery. Silla attempts to escape but is thwarted by a sailor who shoots him in the arm. The captives are then brought to the ship's hold and chained next to each other. During the
voyage Voyage(s) or The Voyage may refer to: Literature *''Voyage : A Novel of 1896'', Sterling Hayden * ''Voyage'' (novel), a 1996 science fiction novel by Stephen Baxter *''The Voyage'', Murray Bail * "The Voyage" (short story), a 1921 story by ...
, Jinna attempts to jump off the ship, but is caught and taken to the captain's cabin. This infuriates the other captives, and Silla's arm is cut off by the crew in order to prevent a
slave rebellion A slave rebellion is an armed uprising by enslaved people, as a way of fighting for their freedom. Rebellions of enslaved people have occurred in nearly all societies that practice slavery or have practiced slavery in the past. A desire for freedo ...
by intimidating the other prisoners. However, Kunta leads a group of captives to attack the crew anyway, but this attempt fails and the crew manage to regain control of the ship. Eventually, the ''Lord Ligonier'' arrives in
Annapolis, Maryland Annapolis ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Maryland and the county seat of, and only incorporated city in, Anne Arundel County. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east o ...
, where Kunta is sold at an auction to John Waller (
James Purefoy James Brian Mark Purefoy (born 3 June 1964) is an English actor. He played Mark Antony in the HBO series ''Rome'', Nick Jenkins in ''A Dance to the Music of Time'', college professor turned serial killer Joe Carroll in the series ''The Following ...
), a planter who owns a
tobacco plantation A plantation economy is an economy based on agricultural mass production, usually of a few commodity crops, grown on large farms worked by laborers or slaves. The properties are called plantations. Plantation economies rely on the export of cash ...
in
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
. Kunta is subsequently renamed Toby, and placed under the care of Fiddler (
Forest Whitaker Forest Steven Whitaker (born July 15, 1961) is an American actor. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Forest Whitaker, various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a British Academy Film Award ...
), an enslaved musician whose real name is Henry. Kunta gradually adjusts to his new life of slavery over following months, but constantly harbors dreams of escaping. One night, while singing a traditional African song, Fiddler reveals to Kunta that he once heard his grandmother singing the same song, implying that she was a Mandinka woman who was sold into slavery. Kunta then finds a sharp object, which he uses to cut his chains. With the aid of Fiddler, Kunta makes an escape attempt on
Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus, Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by country, around t ...
, but is caught and flogged by a cruel Irish overseer, Connelly (
Tony Curran Tony Curran is a Scottish actor who has appeared in '' Underworld: Evolution'', ''Doctor Who'', ''Roots'', and the Netflix historical epic ''Outlaw King''. He appears in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film '' Thor: The Dark World'' (2013) as Bor ...
). Connelly forces Kunta to call himself "Toby", though Kunta infuriates him by repeatedly stating that his name is Kunta Kinte. After Kunta, bloodied by the repeated whippings, finally gives into Connelly and calls himself Toby, Connelly lets Fiddler attend to his injured back. As Kunta gives up his dreams of ever returning to Africa, Fiddler tells him to always remember his real name, no matter what
slave name A slave name is the personal name given by others to an enslaved person, or a name inherited from enslaved ancestors. The modern use of the term applies mostly to African Americans and Afro-Caribbeans who are descended from enslaved Africans who ...
he is given. Part 2 After the
American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...
breaks out, Kunta escapes Waller's plantation, kills Connelly and makes contact with a detachment of
British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
cavalrymen, as he has heard of a proclamation by
Lord Dunmore Earl of Dunmore is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. History The title was created in 1686 for Lord Charles Murray, second son of John Murray, 1st Marquess of Atholl. He was made Lord Murray of Blair, Moulin and Tillimet (or Tullimet) and V ...
offering slaves their freedom if they fight for the British. Kunta subsequently enlists in the
Ethiopian Regiment The Ethiopian Regiment, better known as Lord Dunmore's Ethiopian Regiment, was a British colonial military unit organized during the American Revolution by the Earl of Dunmore, last Royal Governor of Virginia. Composed of formerly enslaved peopl ...
and befriends another runaway named Carlton. The regiment is then sent to fight against against
Patriot A patriot is a person with the quality of patriotism. Patriot may also refer to: Political and military groups United States * Patriot (American Revolution), those who supported the cause of independence in the American Revolution * Patriot m ...
forces in the
Battle of Great Bridge The Battle of Great Bridge was fought December 9, 1775, in the area of Great Bridge, Virginia, early in the American Revolutionary War. The victory by colonial Virginia militia forces led to the departure of Royal Governor Lord Dunmore and any r ...
. However, Kunta realizes that with no weapons the regiment was only intended to serve as
cannon fodder Cannon fodder is an informal, derogatory term for combatants who are regarded or treated by government or military command as expendable in the face of enemy fire. The term is generally used in situations where combatants are forced to deliberately ...
and escapes with Carlton as the Patriots rout the British. Carlton is killed by an unknown gunman and Kunta is eventually recaptured; as punishment for escaping, his right foot is chopped off. Kunta and Fiddler are later sold by John to his brother, Dr. William Waller (
Matthew Goode Matthew William Goode (born 3 April 1978) is a British actor. Goode made his screen debut in 2002 with American Broadcasting Company, ABC's TV film feature ''Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister#Adaptation, Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister''. His ...
) as payment for outstanding debts. The war eventually ends and the United States celebrates its independence. Kunta marries Belle ( Emayatzy Corinealdi), a enslaved woman who nursed him back to health, and they have a daughter together. Fiddler and Kunta take the baby into the woods for a Mandinka naming ceremony. They are suddenly surrounded by a
slave patrol Slave patrols—also known as patrollers, patterrollers, pattyrollers or paddy rollersVerner D. Mitchell, Cynthia Davis (2019). ''Encyclopedia of the Black Arts Movement''. p. 323. Rowman & Littlefield—were organized groups of armed men who m ...
, which murders Fiddler after he distracts them so Kunta and his daughter could slip away. Kunta names the baby Kizzy ( Saniyya Sidney), meaning "stay put" in the
Mandinka language The Mandinka language (; Ajami: ) or Mandingo, is a Mande language spoken by the Mandinka people of Guinea, northern Guinea-Bissau, the Casamance region of Senegal, and in The Gambia where it is one of the principal languages. Mandinka belo ...
, in hopes of keeping their family together. Kizzy grows up to be a beautiful, bright young woman who is secretly taught how to read by Missy (
G Hannelius Genevieve Knight Hannelius (born December 22, 1998) is an American actress, singer, and YouTube personality who made her acting debut starring as Courtney Patterson on the ABC series ''Surviving Suburbia'' (2009). She had recurring roles on the ...
), Dr. Waller's niece. Kunta trains Kizzy in the ways of a Mandinka warrior, passing on the family's cultural heritage. She also falls in love with another slave named Noah (
Mandela Van Peebles Mandela Van Peebles (born June 4, 1994) is an American rapper, film and television actor and producer who has appeared in films such as ''We the Party'', ''Baadasssss!'', and ''Jigsaw'', and the television series ''Reginald the Vampire''. Perso ...
). When a
tropical cyclone A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depend ...
hits the farm, Kizzy and Noah attempt to escape. The next day, Kunta finds Kizzy hiding inside a
masonry oven A masonry oven, colloquially known as a brick oven or stone oven, is an oven consisting of a baking chamber made of fireproof brick, concrete, stone, clay (clay oven), or cob (cob oven). Though traditionally wood-fired, coal-fired ovens were ...
. A search party tracks Noah to a barn, and when he attempts to escape from them, the party kills him. They discover a forged travel pass written by Kizzy, which results in Dr. Waller learning of Kizzy's literacy. Dr. Waller then sells Kizzy to Tom Lea (
Jonathan Rhys Meyers Jonathan Rhys Meyers (born Jonathan Michael Francis O'Keeffe; 27 July 1977) is an Irish actor, model and musician. He is known for his roles in the films ''Michael Collins (film), Michael Collins'' (1996), ''Velvet Goldmine'' (1998), ''Titus (f ...
), a poor slaveholder in
North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
. He rapes her the same night she arrives, and nine months later, she gives birth to Lea's son, whom Tom Lea names George. Kizzy contemplates killing her infant, but decides to raise him so she can pass on the family lineage. Part 3 In 1816, Lea takes George along with him to be trained in how to raise fighting chickens along with another slave, Mingo. After seeing Mingo gain respect from white men for winning a cockfight, George begins to take interest in the sport. However, while George is eager to see the world, Kizzy (
Anika Noni Rose Anika Noni Rose (born September 6, 1972) is an American actress and singer. She is best known for voicing Tiana, Disney's first African-American princess, as seen in ''The Princess and the Frog'' (2009). She was named a Disney Legend in 2011. S ...
) is worried about him spending so much time away from her. Over the years, George (
Regé-Jean Page Regé-Jean Page (; born Regererai Page on 27 April 1988) is a British actor. He is known for his breakout role in the first series of the Netflix period drama ''Bridgerton'' (2020). Acting professionally since 2001, Page has also appeared in ...
) becomes a skilled chicken breeder, earning Lea large amounts of money and becoming known as "Chicken George". In 1828, after being insulted at a party for his low-class Irish heritage, Lea fights a
duel A duel is an arranged engagement in combat between two people, with matched weapons, in accordance with agreed-upon Code duello, rules. During the 17th and 18th centuries (and earlier), duels were mostly single combats fought with swords (the r ...
with another slaveholder. George serves as his second, and Tom agrees to allow him to marry Matilda (
Erica Tazel Erica Tazel (born 1977) is an American theatre and television actress best known for the role of US Deputy Marshall Rachel Brooks in the FX television series '' Justified'' (2010–2015). Life and career Tazel holds a B.A. from Spelman College a ...
), the daughter of a enslaved preacher whom he has been courting. His position as a trusted
house slave A house slave was a slave who worked, and often lived, in the house of the slave-owner, performing domestic labor. House slaves performed largely the same duties as all domestic workers throughout history, such as cooking, cleaning, serving meals, ...
is challenged in 1831, when Lea learns of
Nat Turner's slave rebellion Nat Turner's Rebellion, historically known as the Southampton Insurrection, was a rebellion of enslaved Virginians that took place in Southampton County, Virginia, in August 1831.Schwarz, Frederic D.1831 Nat Turner's Rebellion" ''American Heri ...
during a cockfight. Lea, like many other white slaveholders, begins to suspect that all slaves might be planning to rebel. During the chaos, Mingo is beaten, and badly injured. On the way home, Lea points a gun at George after being provoked by white militiamen. When the three return home, they find all of the slave barracks burnt to the ground. When Lea runs off to find his wife, Patricia, George runs into the woods to find his family. Once there, Matilda reveals that it was a group of white men that burnt down the farm, due to thinking that Lea was dead. Mingo eventually dies from his wounds, causing George to become bitter and cold. George reveals to Kizzy that he's known for years that Lea truly is his father. George and Matilda marry and have several children, the youngest of whom is named Tom after his master. In 1835, George attends another cockfight, where Tom Lea makes a large wager with a visiting British gentleman, Sir Eric Russell (
Adam Fergus Adam Fergus is an Irish film, television and stage actor. Early life Born in Drogheda, County Louth and raised in the nearby village of Laytown, he is the son of a nurse and a recruitment specialist. He attended Clongowes College before going ...
). Lea promises that if George wins the fight, he will give him his emancipation papers; George wins and celebrates his newfound freedom. However, they fight one more round against Russell and lose, and since Lea does not have the money to pay off his debt, he agrees to give George to Russell to be taken back to England to raise fighting cocks. Before George is taken away, Lea promises to have freed his family before he returns from England. Part 4 On the eve of the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
, George returns from England after Russell gave him his freedom after 20 years. He returns to Tom Lea's farm, now in ruin, and discovers that while he was gone, his mother Kizzy had died and Lea had never freed the rest of his family. He tracks down Matilda and his family, now owned by a new master, Benjamin Murray (Wayne Pére). Murray allows George to stay with his wife on the plantation, much to the consternation of his
secessionist Secession is the withdrawal of a group from a larger entity, especially a political entity, but also from any organization, union or military alliance. Some of the most famous and significant secessions have been: the former Soviet republics lea ...
son Frederick Murray (
Lane Garrison Lane Edward Garrison (born May 23, 1980) is an American actor best known for the role of David "Tweener" Apolskis on the television series ''Prison Break''. He appeared in the pilot episode of the El Rey network's series ''From Dusk till Dawn''. ...
), who is engaged to marry Nancy Holt (
Anna Paquin Anna Hélène Paquin ( ; born 24 July 1982) is a New Zealand actress. Born in Winnipeg and raised in Wellington, Paquin made her acting debut portraying Flora McGrath in the romantic drama film ''The Piano'' (1993), for which she won the Aca ...
). George later leaves after discovering that his freedom will be revoked if his remains in the state for more than 90 days. George's son Tom is now a skilled
blacksmith A blacksmith is a metalsmith who creates objects primarily from wrought iron or steel, but sometimes from #Other metals, other metals, by forging the metal, using tools to hammer, bend, and cut (cf. tinsmith). Blacksmiths produce objects such ...
and valued member of the Murray plantation. Tom ( Sedale Threatt Jr.) blames his father for abandoning them and initially wants nothing to do with him. When war breaks out, Nancy reveals to Tom that she is a
Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...
spy and tries to enlist him to help her. He initially refuses, but when Frederick and his friends rape his wife, Irene, Tom decides to help. Their plans go awry and Nancy and her slave Jerusalem (
Mekhi Phifer Mekhi Phifer (; born December 29, 1974) is an American actor. He portrayed Dr. Greg Pratt on NBC's long-running medical drama '' ER'' until 2008 and had a co-starring role opposite actor/rapper Eminem in the 2002 feature film '' 8 Mile''. He was ...
) are exposed as spies and are hanged by Frederick. Meanwhile, George and another black man named Cyrus ( T.I.) enlist in the
Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...
. They participate in the
Battle of Fort Pillow The Battle of Fort Pillow, also known as the Fort Pillow massacre, was fought on April 12, 1864, at Fort Pillow on the Mississippi River in Henning, Tennessee, during the American Civil War. The battle ended with a massacre of Union soldiers ( ...
, and watch horrified when surrendering Black Union soldiers are massacred by Confederate troops. George, Cyrus, and Tom flee pursuing Confederate
bushwhacker Bushwhacking was a form of guerrilla warfare common during the American Revolutionary War, War of 1812, American Civil War and other conflicts in which there were large areas of contested land and few governmental resources to control these tra ...
s and return to the Murray plantation to learn that all the slaves have been freed by the
Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution The Thirteenth Amendment (Amendment XIII) to the United States Constitution abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime. The amendment was passed by the Senate on April 8, 1864, by the House of Representative ...
. The Kinte Family stays for a time as
sharecroppers Sharecropping is a legal arrangement with regard to agricultural land in which a landowner allows a tenant to use the land in return for a share of the crops produced on that land. Sharecropping has a long history and there are a wide range ...
, continuing to work the Murray Plantation in exchange for livestock and food. Once George returns to the Murray Plantation, he, Cyrus, Tom, Matilda and the rest of their family pack up their belongings and head to Tennessee to start a new life. When Frederick threatens them, George shoots him. Once in Tennessee, Tom and his wife have a daughter, the first Kinte born free in America. Many years later, a man named
Alex Haley Alexander Murray Palmer Haley (August 11, 1921 – February 10, 1992) was an American writer and the author of the 1976 book '' Roots: The Saga of an American Family.'' ABC adapted the book as a television miniseries of the same name and a ...
traces his roots to Kunta Kinte and writes a book to honor both his family and all
African Americans African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
.


Cast

Number in parentheses indicates how many episodes in which the actor/character appears. *
Malachi Kirby Malachi Kirby is a British actor and writer. He gained prominence through his roles in the 2016 ''Roots'' remake and the ''Black Mirror'' episode "Men Against Fire". He earned a BAFTA for his performance in '' Small Axe'': ''Mangrove''. Early ...
as
Kunta Kinte Kunta Kinte ( – ; ) is a character in the 1976 novel '' Roots: The Saga of an American Family'' by American author Alex Haley. Kunta Kinte was based on one of Haley's ancestors, a Gambian man who was born around 1750, enslaved, and taken to ...
(3) * Nokuthula Ledwaba as Binta Kinte (2) * Emayatzy Corinealdi as Belle (2) *
Forest Whitaker Forest Steven Whitaker (born July 15, 1961) is an American actor. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Forest Whitaker, various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a British Academy Film Award ...
as Henry (Fiddler) (3) *
Babs Olusanmokun Babs Olusanmokun (born September 18, 1984) is a Nigerian-American actor. In 2017, he appeared in "Black Museum", an episode of the anthology series ''Black Mirror''. He also appeared in the video game ''Max Payne 3'' as Serrano, for which he pr ...
as Omoro Kinte (2) *
Anika Noni Rose Anika Noni Rose (born September 6, 1972) is an American actress and singer. She is best known for voicing Tiana, Disney's first African-American princess, as seen in ''The Princess and the Frog'' (2009). She was named a Disney Legend in 2011. S ...
as Kizzy (2) *Emyri Crutchfield as Young Kizzy (1) * Saniyya Sidney as Kizzy aged 6 (1) *
Regé-Jean Page Regé-Jean Page (; born Regererai Page on 27 April 1988) is a British actor. He is known for his breakout role in the first series of the Netflix period drama ''Bridgerton'' (2020). Acting professionally since 2001, Page has also appeared in ...
as Chicken George (2) *
Erica Tazel Erica Tazel (born 1977) is an American theatre and television actress best known for the role of US Deputy Marshall Rachel Brooks in the FX television series '' Justified'' (2010–2015). Life and career Tazel holds a B.A. from Spelman College a ...
as Matilda (2) *
James Purefoy James Brian Mark Purefoy (born 3 June 1964) is an English actor. He played Mark Antony in the HBO series ''Rome'', Nick Jenkins in ''A Dance to the Music of Time'', college professor turned serial killer Joe Carroll in the series ''The Following ...
as John Waller (2) * Katie McGuinness as Elizabeth Waller (2) *
Matthew Goode Matthew William Goode (born 3 April 1978) is a British actor. Goode made his screen debut in 2002 with American Broadcasting Company, ABC's TV film feature ''Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister#Adaptation, Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister''. His ...
as Dr. William Waller (2) *
Jonathan Rhys Meyers Jonathan Rhys Meyers (born Jonathan Michael Francis O'Keeffe; 27 July 1977) is an Irish actor, model and musician. He is known for his roles in the films ''Michael Collins (film), Michael Collins'' (1996), ''Velvet Goldmine'' (1998), ''Titus (f ...
as Tom Lea (3) *
Shannon Lucio Shannon Lucio (born June 25, 1980) is an American actress. Born in Denver, Colorado, Lucio grew up in San Antonio, Texas, and graduated from John Marshall High School. She is a graduate of the University of Southern California. She is well kn ...
as Patricia Lea (2) *
Chad Coleman Chad L. Coleman (born September 6, 1967) is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for playing Dennis "Cutty" Wise on the HBO series ''The Wire'' (2004–08), Tyreese on the AMC series '' The Walking Dead'' (2012–15), Mingo on ''Roots'' (2 ...
as Mingo (1) *
Tony Curran Tony Curran is a Scottish actor who has appeared in '' Underworld: Evolution'', ''Doctor Who'', ''Roots'', and the Netflix historical epic ''Outlaw King''. He appears in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film '' Thor: The Dark World'' (2013) as Bor ...
as Connelly (2) *
Adam Fergus Adam Fergus is an Irish film, television and stage actor. Early life Born in Drogheda, County Louth and raised in the nearby village of Laytown, he is the son of a nurse and a recruitment specialist. He attended Clongowes College before going ...
as Sir Eric Russell (2) *
Anna Paquin Anna Hélène Paquin ( ; born 24 July 1982) is a New Zealand actress. Born in Winnipeg and raised in Wellington, Paquin made her acting debut portraying Flora McGrath in the romantic drama film ''The Piano'' (1993), for which she won the Aca ...
as Nancy Holt (1) * T.I. as Cyrus (1) *
Derek Luke Derek Nathanial Luke (born April 24, 1974) is an American actor. He won the Independent Spirit Award for his big-screen debut performance as the titular character in the 2002 film ''Antwone Fisher'', directed and produced by Denzel Washington. ...
as Silla Ba Dibba (2) *
G Hannelius Genevieve Knight Hannelius (born December 22, 1998) is an American actress, singer, and YouTube personality who made her acting debut starring as Courtney Patterson on the ABC series ''Surviving Suburbia'' (2009). She had recurring roles on the ...
as Missy Waller (1) *Carlacia Grant as Irene (1) *
Mekhi Phifer Mekhi Phifer (; born December 29, 1974) is an American actor. He portrayed Dr. Greg Pratt on NBC's long-running medical drama '' ER'' until 2008 and had a co-starring role opposite actor/rapper Eminem in the 2002 feature film '' 8 Mile''. He was ...
as Jerusalem (1) *Sam Malone as Ashford (1) *Denise Milfort as Ms. Ellen (1) *
Mandela Van Peebles Mandela Van Peebles (born June 4, 1994) is an American rapper, film and television actor and producer who has appeared in films such as ''We the Party'', ''Baadasssss!'', and ''Jigsaw'', and the television series ''Reginald the Vampire''. Perso ...
as Noah (1) * Terence Rosemore as Orly (1) *
Lane Garrison Lane Edward Garrison (born May 23, 1980) is an American actor best known for the role of David "Tweener" Apolskis on the television series ''Prison Break''. He appeared in the pilot episode of the El Rey network's series ''From Dusk till Dawn''. ...
as Frederick Murray (1) * Sedale Threatt Jr. as Tom (1) *
Brett Rice James Brett Rice (born April 20, 1954) is an American film, television, and theater actor. He is perhaps known for his roles in the films ''Forrest Gump'' (1994), ''Remember the Titans'' (2000), ''Monster'' (2003), '' Super 8'' (2011), ''Foxcat ...
as William Byrd (1) *
Simona Brown Simona Brown (born 6 April 1994) is a British actress best known for her lead role in ''Behind Her Eyes (British TV series), Behind Her Eyes''. Personal life Simona Brown grew up in Peckham, London, and is of Jamaicans, Jamaican heritage. She st ...
as Jinna (1) * Chris Obi as Kintango (2) *
Laurence Fishburne Laurence John Fishburne III (born July 30, 1961) is an American actor. He is a three time Emmy Award and Tony Award winning actor known for his roles on stage and screen. He has been hailed for his forceful, militant, and authoritative charact ...
as
Alex Haley Alexander Murray Palmer Haley (August 11, 1921 – February 10, 1992) was an American writer and the author of the 1976 book '' Roots: The Saga of an American Family.'' ABC adapted the book as a television miniseries of the same name and a ...
(voiceover narration)


Production

The
History History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the History of writing#Inventions of writing, invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbr ...
channel commissioned a remake of the miniseries after acquiring rights from
David L. Wolper David Lloyd Wolper (January 11, 1928 – August 10, 2010) was an American television and film producer, responsible for shows such as ''Roots'', '' The Thorn Birds'', and ''North and South'', and the theatrically-released films ''L.A. Confiden ...
's son, Mark Wolper, and Alex Haley's estate. The new eight-hour miniseries, with Mark Wolper as executive producer, drew on Haley's novel and the original miniseries albeit from a contemporary perspective. In April 2015, it was announced that along with The History Channel, Lifetime and A&E would also broadcast the remake of the ''Roots'' miniseries.
Will Packer Will Packer (born April 11, 1974) is an American film producer who founded Will Packer Productions, and Will Packer Media. Packer has produced or executive produced a wide range of movies that have grossed more than $1 billion worldwide at the ...
,
Marc Toberoff Marc Toberoff is an intellectual property attorney specializing in copyright and entertainment litigation. He is known for representing the estates of Superman's co-creators, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, in ongoing litigation with Warner Bros. an ...
and Mark Wolper will executive produce it alongside
Lawrence Konner Lawrence Konner is an American screenwriter, producer and film director. Konner has written over twenty-five feature films, including ''Mona Lisa Smile'', ''Planet of the Apes'', ''The Legend of Billie Jean'', ''The Jewel of the Nile'', and '' ...
and Mark Rosenthal.
LeVar Burton Levar Burton Jr. (born February 16, 1957) is an American actor, director, and television host, best known for playing Geordi La Forge in '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'' (1987–1994). He also played Kunta Kinte in the ABC miniseries ''Root ...
, star of the original series, and Korin Huggins will co-executive produce it. On February 11, 2016, a trailer for the remake of ''Roots'' was released and Paul Buccieri, president of A&E and The History Channels, announced that the four night, eight-hour event series would premiere on
Memorial Day Memorial Day (originally known as Decoration Day) is a federal holiday in the United States for mourning the U.S. military personnel who have fought and died while serving in the United States armed forces. It is observed on the last Monda ...
, May 30, 2016. The ensemble cast includes
Forest Whitaker Forest Steven Whitaker (born July 15, 1961) is an American actor. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Forest Whitaker, various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a British Academy Film Award ...
as Fiddler,
Anna Paquin Anna Hélène Paquin ( ; born 24 July 1982) is a New Zealand actress. Born in Winnipeg and raised in Wellington, Paquin made her acting debut portraying Flora McGrath in the romantic drama film ''The Piano'' (1993), for which she won the Aca ...
as Nancy Holt,
Lane Garrison Lane Edward Garrison (born May 23, 1980) is an American actor best known for the role of David "Tweener" Apolskis on the television series ''Prison Break''. He appeared in the pilot episode of the El Rey network's series ''From Dusk till Dawn''. ...
as Frederick Murray,
Jonathan Rhys Meyers Jonathan Rhys Meyers (born Jonathan Michael Francis O'Keeffe; 27 July 1977) is an Irish actor, model and musician. He is known for his roles in the films ''Michael Collins (film), Michael Collins'' (1996), ''Velvet Goldmine'' (1998), ''Titus (f ...
as Tom Lea,
Anika Noni Rose Anika Noni Rose (born September 6, 1972) is an American actress and singer. She is best known for voicing Tiana, Disney's first African-American princess, as seen in ''The Princess and the Frog'' (2009). She was named a Disney Legend in 2011. S ...
as Kizzy, Tip Harris as Cyrus, Emayatzy Corinealdi as Belle,
Matthew Goode Matthew William Goode (born 3 April 1978) is a British actor. Goode made his screen debut in 2002 with American Broadcasting Company, ABC's TV film feature ''Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister#Adaptation, Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister''. His ...
as Dr. William Waller,
Mekhi Phifer Mekhi Phifer (; born December 29, 1974) is an American actor. He portrayed Dr. Greg Pratt on NBC's long-running medical drama '' ER'' until 2008 and had a co-starring role opposite actor/rapper Eminem in the 2002 feature film '' 8 Mile''. He was ...
as Jerusalem,
James Purefoy James Brian Mark Purefoy (born 3 June 1964) is an English actor. He played Mark Antony in the HBO series ''Rome'', Nick Jenkins in ''A Dance to the Music of Time'', college professor turned serial killer Joe Carroll in the series ''The Following ...
as John Waller, introduces
Regé-Jean Page Regé-Jean Page (; born Regererai Page on 27 April 1988) is a British actor. He is known for his breakout role in the first series of the Netflix period drama ''Bridgerton'' (2020). Acting professionally since 2001, Page has also appeared in ...
as Chicken George and
Malachi Kirby Malachi Kirby is a British actor and writer. He gained prominence through his roles in the 2016 ''Roots'' remake and the ''Black Mirror'' episode "Men Against Fire". He earned a BAFTA for his performance in '' Small Axe'': ''Mangrove''. Early ...
as
Kunta Kinte Kunta Kinte ( – ; ) is a character in the 1976 novel '' Roots: The Saga of an American Family'' by American author Alex Haley. Kunta Kinte was based on one of Haley's ancestors, a Gambian man who was born around 1750, enslaved, and taken to ...
, South African actress Nokuthula Ledwaba as Binta Kinte – Kunta Kinte's mother and
Laurence Fishburne Laurence John Fishburne III (born July 30, 1961) is an American actor. He is a three time Emmy Award and Tony Award winning actor known for his roles on stage and screen. He has been hailed for his forceful, militant, and authoritative charact ...
as
Alex Haley Alexander Murray Palmer Haley (August 11, 1921 – February 10, 1992) was an American writer and the author of the 1976 book '' Roots: The Saga of an American Family.'' ABC adapted the book as a television miniseries of the same name and a ...
.


Broadcast and distribution

In the United States, ''Roots'' aired in four installments of approximately two hours each, from May 30 to June 2, 2016, on History, A&E, and Lifetime. In
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
, in addition to being available on A&E, whose U.S. feed is carried in Canada directly – but not on the licensed Canadian versions of History or Lifetime – the series was set to stream on
CraveTV Crave (initially named CraveTV) is a Canadian subscription video on demand service owned by Bell Media. The service competes directly with other subscription-based over-the-top streaming services operating in Canada, primarily American-based se ...
beginning in fall 2016.
New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
state broadcaster
TVNZ , type = Crown entity , industry = Broadcast television , num_locations = New Zealand , location = Auckland, New Zealand , area_served = Nationally (New Zealand) and some Pacific Island nations such as the Cook Islands, Fiji, and the So ...
aired the first episode on TV One on Sunday, July 3 at 8.30pm (New Zealand Standard Time), and screened the remaining 3 episodes on the following 3 Sundays (July 10, 17, and 24th). In Australia, SBS aired the episodes on July 27 and 28, August 3 and 4, 2016. ''Roots'' premiered on
BBC Four BBC Four is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It was launched on 2 March 2002
in the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
on February 8, 2017. Expat Persian channel
Manoto Manoto ( Persian: من و تو ) is an international free-to-air Persian language general entertainment channel launched in October 2010, owned by Marjan Television Network. It is based in London and its programs include documentaries, films, s ...
aired ''Roots'' for Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan in July 2017.


Reception

''Roots'' received critical acclaim, with praise for the acting abilities of the cast, the faithfulness to the original, and the modern changes. On
Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
, the series has a rating of 98%, based on 41 reviews, with an average rating of 8.31/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "A powerfully impressive – and still relevant – update on a television classic, ''Roots'' boasts remarkable performances, deep emotion, and occasionally jarring beauty." On
Metacritic Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
the series has a score of 83 out of 100, based on 33 critics, indicating "universal acclaim". The series received a Primetime Emmy nomination for Best Limited Series.


Accolades


See also

*
List of films featuring slavery Film has been the most influential medium in the presentation of the history of slavery to the general public. The American film industry has had a complex relationship with slavery, and until recent decades often avoided the topic. Films such a ...


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Roots (2016 Miniseries) 2010s American drama television series 2016 American television series debuts A&E (TV network) original programming African-American genealogy American Broadcasting Company original programming 2010s American television miniseries History (American TV channel) original programming Lifetime (TV network) original programming
remake A remake is a film, television series, video game, song or similar form of entertainment that is based upon and retells the story of an earlier production in the same medium—e.g., a "new version of an existing film". A remake tells the same ...
Television shows based on American novels Television shows set in Fairfax County, Virginia Television series based on actual events Television series based on American novels English-language television shows Television series set in the 18th century Television series set in the 19th century Television series by The Wolper Organization Will Packer Productions television shows Simulcasts Television shows set in Richmond, Virginia Works about American slavery