‘Between The World And Me’: Mahershala Ali, Ta-Nehisi Coates Among Nine Cast In HBO Special
Mahershala Ali, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Angela Davis, Tip “T.I.” Harris, Mimi Jones, Ledisi, Greg Alverez Reid, Nate Smith and Olivia Washington round out the cast of Between The World And Me, HBO’s adaptation of the stage show based on Coates’ New York Times bestseller. Additionally, the premium cabler has slotted Saturday, November 15 at 8 PM ET/PT for the premiere of the special, which was produced under COVID-19 guidelines. You can watch a teaser below.
They join previously announced Angela Bassett, Alicia Garza, Joe Morton, Phylicia Rashad, Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter, Courtney B. Vance, Pauletta Washington, Susan Kelechi Watson, Oprah Winfrey, Jharrel Jerome, Marc Bamuthi Joseph, Janet Mock, Jason Moran, Wendell Pierce, Mj Rodriguez, Kendrick Sampson, Yara Shahidi and Michelle Wilson.
Originally adapted and staged by the Apollo Theater in 2018, the special will combine elements of that production, including readings from Coates’ book, and will again be directed by award-winning director and Apollo Theater executive producer Kamilah Forbes. It will also incorporate documentary footage from the actors’ home life, archival footage and animation.
The book, first published in 2015 by One World, is written as a letter to Coates’ teenage son and recounts the author’s experiences growing up in Baltimore’s inner city and his growing fear of daily violence against the Black community. The narrative explores Coates’ notion that American society structurally supports white supremacy.
Forbes will executive produce with Coates, Watson and Roger Ross Williams, whose production company One Story Up produces.
Ali is represented by Anonymous Content, WME and Sloane, Offer, Weber and Dern, LLP. Coates is represented by UTA, Gloria Loomis of the Watkins Loomis Agency, and Del, Shaw, Moonves, Tanaka, Finkelstein & Lezcano. Harris is represented by Crossover Entertainment. Ledisi is represented by Paradigm, Benchmark Entertainment and Evan Krauss (Eisner LLP). Alverez Reid is represented by Freeze Frame Entertainment. Smith is represented by Big Fish Booking Company and Abelman Frayne & Schwab. Washington is represented by WME.
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