“Black Sails” star Hakeem Kae-Kazim is in talks to join the cast of A&E’s miniseries remake of “Roots,” TheWrap has learned.
The actor will play Samson on the show, and joins previously announced stars Malachi Kirby, who will play Kunta Kinte, and Regé-Jean Page, who will play Chicken George. Malachi was handpicked by executive producers Will Packer and LeVar Burton, who played the original Kunta Kinte.
Samson is a slave on the plantation of John Waller who is tasked with teaching everything to Kunta Kinte when he arrives.
Laurence Fishburne will appear as Alex Haley, the author of the novel “Roots: The Saga of an American Family,” and Anna Paquin, Forest Whitaker and Jonathan Rhys Meyers are also part of the high-profile cast.
Production is underway in New Orleans and South Africa.
“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 and Mark Rosenthal serve as executive producers. LeVar Burton and Korin D. Huggins are co-executive producers.
Kae-Kazim is well known for his role as Mr. Scott on Starz’s pirate drama “Black Sails” and he also recently recurred on Syfy’s “Dominion.” He is represented by Greene and Associates and Generate.