Mahershala Ali Set To Narrate Netflix Wildlife Series, ‘Chimp Empire’

According to Deadline, Mahershala Ali has been cast as the narrator for Netflix’s upcoming Chimp Empire. Oscar-award-winning James Reed will direct the four-part series that explores the “world of the largest chimpanzee society ever discovered.”

Keo Films will produce the Netflix series, Reed will executive produce with Keo Films’ Matt Cole, and Callum Webster will also serve as producer.

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Chimp Empire is set in Uganda’s Ngogo Forest, where scientists and field trackers have lived in tandem with the tribe of animals. For over two decades, scientists observed the community as they constructed “sophisticated political and familial” societal structures.

The director and his team will follow the Ngogo chimp’s interactions, presenting an intimate view of their lives and the constant evolution of the monkey civilization. Mahershala will document the animals’ lives as the series highlights the chimpanzees’ lives from babies to adulthood. Chimp Empire will also show how relationships evolve in Uganda, emphasizing political upheaval and turmoil. Netflix’s Chimp Empire will premiere on April 19, 2023.

Back in February, it was reported that Ali, 49, could’ve been the lead in HBO’s hit series, The Last Of Us. According to a recent interview with actor Jeffrey Pierce for The Direct, the Blade actor almost played Joel—the show’s main character portrayed by Pedro Pascal.

Pierce, who voiced Tommy Miller in the original video game thought the potential decision would mean he couldn’t reprise his character.

“I think initially they had talked to Mahershala Ali about playing Joel, which is an obvious cue that I’m not gonna play Tommy.” Pierce expressed. “And when they cast Pedro [Pascal], I knew like, yeah, that was certainly not going to happen regardless, I’m older than Pedro Pascal. So I was not under harboring any illusions about that, for sure.”

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