Posted in: Amazon Studios, Preview, streaming, TV | Tagged: Amarah-Jae St. Aubyn, amazon, anansi boys, Grace Saif, neil gaiman, preview

Anansi Boys: Amarah-Jae St. Aubyn, Grace Saif Join Amazon Series Adapt

Published Tue, 14 Dec 2021 10:28:12 -0600

by Ray Flook

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With production currently underway, Amarah-Jae St. Aubyn (Lovers Rock, Small Axe) and Grace Saif (13 Reasons Why) will be taking on the lead female roles in Amazon, author Neil Gaiman, and actor/comedian Sir Lenny Henry's adaptation of Anansi Boys. St. Aubyn and Saif join a cast that includes Delroy Lindo (The Good Fight, Da 5 Bloods) and Malachi Kirby (Small Axe), with THR first reporting the news exclusively. The series follows Charlie (Kirby), a young man who is used to being embarrassed by his estranged father, Mr. Nancy (Lindo). But when his father dies, Charlie discovers that his father was Anansi: the trickster god of stories. And he learns that he has a brother. Now his brother, Spider (Kirby), is entering Charlie's life, determined to make it more interesting but making it a lot more dangerous.

St. Aubyn's Rosie Noah is a teacher and fiancée to Charles "Fat Charlie" Nancy, described as cheerful, wise, good-humoured and kind. Saif's Detective Constable Daisy Day finds herself deep into several intersecting police cases, including a murder. She's smart, efficient, determined and very funny. "When you are casting something on the scale of Anansi Boys you need female leads who are as accomplished, charming, and brilliant as, well, Malachi Kirby in both his incarnations,: said Gaiman. "Amarah-Jae St. Aubyn and Grace Saif are those women. [They're] both funny, honest, brilliant actresses, and you will fall in love with both of them."

With filming set to kick off in Scotland later this year, Gaiman and Henry will write along with Arvind Ethan David, Kara Smith, and Racheal Ofori. Gaiman and Douglas Mackinnon will serve as co-showrunners, with Hanelle M. Culpepper (Star Trek: Picard) directing the pilot and Jermain Julien (Grantchester) and Azhur Saleem (Doctor Who) also directing for the series. Amazon Studios, The Blank Corporation, Endor Productions, and Red Production Company will produce. Gaiman, Henry, Mackinnon, Culpepper, Hilary Bevan Jones, and Richard Fee will serve as executive producers, with Paul Frift producing.