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Anansi Boys: Malachi Kirby Joins Amazon, Neil Gaiman Series Adapt

Published Tue, 14 Sep 2021 13:05:13 -0500

A little more than a month after learning that Delroy Lindo (The Good Fight, Da 5 Bloods) had joined the cast of Amazon, author Neil Gaiman, and actor/comedian Sir Lenny Henry's Anansi Boys, Variety reports exclusively that Malachi Kirby (Small Axe) has joined the live-action, six-episode limited series adaptation of Gaiman's novel. Kirby will be tackling the roles of both Charlie Nancy and his brother, Spider. The series follows Charlie, 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, is entering Charlie's life, determined to make it more interesting but making it a lot more dangerous.

anansi boys — Anansi Boys – Images: Amazon

Charles "Fat Charlie" Nancy is awkward, stressed, engaged to be married, and working at a job he hates for a man he hates. He is as normal as it is possible to be – at least until he learns that his father was a god and that he has a magical brother he does not know about. Spider is that brother- cocky, self-assured, magical, superpowered, utterly amoral… and perhaps, a bit of a monster. "Malachi Kirby is an actor of astonishing sensitivity, charm, and power," Gaiman said in a statement. "We needed somebody who could bring us the humanity of Charlie and the godly dangerousness of Spider; who could play two very different characters and who could in many ways carry the show. We found Malachi, and I am so thrilled that we did. He's astonishing."

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.