Posted in: Netflix, Preview, streaming, TV | Tagged: dark horse, grendal, matt wagner, netflix, preview

Grendel Star Abubakr Ali Shares Thoughts on Netflix Passing on Series

Earlier this week, the news broke that Netflix would not be moving forward on Andrew Dabb's (Supernatural) Abubakr Ali (Power Book II: Ghost, Katy Keene)-starring live-action series adaptation of Matt Wagner's popular Dark Horse comic book series Grendel. The following day, actor Andy Mientus (Larry Stohler) took to Instagram to reveal that apparently, an entire season had been filmed and was reportedly now being shopped by the producers (though recent reports state that most but not all of the filming is complete). Now, Ali has taken to Instagram to share his thoughts on the series being passed on and the societal impact it has. "Despite making up 25 percent of the world's population, Muslim actors only make up 1% of speaking characters on TV," Ali wrote in the introduction to his caption (with the fill post below), referencing how he was the first Arab Muslim male actor to portray a series lead in a comic book adaptation.

"I was really excited for what this role meant to my community. I never thought this business would allow someone like me to play a role like this, where an Arab person could exist in the grey area between good and evil. A role where an Arab on screen didn't feel the need to 'be nice' to assure everyone around them that they're not one of the 'bad ones.' Where an Arab could live in the spaces of anger, vengeance, sorry, even vindictiveness without owing the audience any proof of their humanity. By simply existing, they force & challenge the audience to grant them their humanity the same way they've done for white actors playing similar characters," Ali continued. After going on to thank the cast and crew but before sharing a number of images from the experience, Ali added, "There is a space and need for stories like this. I'm very excited for the future."

Written and executive produced by Andrew Dabb (Resident Evil, Supernatural), Ali was joined by Jaime Ray Newman (Dopesick, The Time Traveler's Wife), Julian Black Antelope (Dopesick, The Time Traveler's Wife), Madeline Zima (Californication, Hacks), Kevin Corrigan (Scenes from an Empty Church, The Get Down), Emma Ho (Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, The Expanse), Erik Palladino (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Watchmen), Brittany Allen (What Keeps You Alive), and Andy Mientus (The Flash, Dolly Parton's Heartstrings) had also joined the cast.

Ali's Rose is a gifted fencer, writer, & assassin who seeks to avenge the death of lost love by going to war with New York's criminal underworld… but why beat them when you can join them? Newman has been cast as Jocasta Rose, with Black Antelope taking on Argent, Zima playing Liz Sparks, and Corrigan on board as Barry Palumbo. In addition, Ho plays Stacy Palumbo, and Palladino takes on Teddy Ciccone, Allen plays Annabelle Wright & Mientus plays Larry Stohler.  Wagner executive produces alongside Dark Horse Entertainment's Mike Richardson, Keith Goldberg, and Chris Tongue.

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