Roots 2016 Cast/Roots 2016 Miniseries Characters/Roots Film 2016/Roots Film Cast
Find the full cast of Roots (2016 Miniseries) below:
- Malachi Kirby as Kunta Kinte
- Nokuthula Ledwaba as Binta Kinte
- Emayatzy Corinealdi as Belle
- Forest Whitaker as Henry (Fiddler)
- Babs Olusanmokun as Omoro Kinte
- Anika Noni Rose as Kizzy
- Emyri Crutchfield as Young Kizzy
- Saniyya Sidney as Kizzy aged 6
- Regé-Jean Page as Chicken George
- Erica Tazel as Matilda
- James Purefoy as John Waller
- Katie McGuinness as Elizabeth Waller
- Matthew Goode as Dr. William Waller
- Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Tom Lea
- Shannon Lucio as Patricia Lea
- Chad Coleman as Mingo
- Tony Curran as Connelly
- Adam Fergus as Sir Eric Russell
- Anna Paquin as Nancy Holt
- T.I. as Cyrus
- Derek Luke as Silla Ba Dibba
- G Hannelius as Missy Waller
- Carlacia Grant as Irene
- Mekhi Phifer as Jerusalem
- Sam Malone as Ashford
- Denise Milfort as Ms. Ellen
- Mandela Van Peebles as Noah
- Terence Rosemore as Orly
- Lane Garrison as Frederick Murray
- Sedale Threatt Jr. as Tom
- Brett Rice as William Byrd
- Simona Brown as Jinna
- Chris Obi as Kintango
- Laurence Fishburne as Alex Haley (voiceover narration)
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Table of Contents
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2016 Roots Cast/Roots 2016 Cast/Roots TV Show Cast
The cast of Roots (2016 Miniseries) stars a host of award-winning actors including Laurence Fishburne as Alex Haley; Forest Whitaker; Jonathan Rhys Meyers; Anna Paquin and Anika Noni Rose.
The series also introduces Malachi Kirby as Kunta Kinte.
Kunta Kinte is a name that has become ingrained in American culture as the slave who fought back.
If you can’t quite put faces to those names, take a look at the new Roots (2016 miniseries) trailer below.
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Roots Missy Anne
Missy Anne is a character from the novel Roots: The Saga of an American Family by Alex Haley and its TV adaptation Roots. She plays a small but very important role in the story because of what she represents.
Missy Anne is a white plantation girl—the niece (or daughter, depending on the version) of the slave-owning family. As a child, she grows up alongside Kizzy, the daughter of Kunta Kinte and Bell.
The two girls form what looks like a genuine friendship. They play together constantly, and Missy Anne even teaches Kizzy how to read and write—something that was forbidden for enslaved people at the time.
At first glance, their relationship can feel almost equal, especially when they are young. But that’s exactly where the deeper meaning comes in. Even as a child, Missy Anne has power over Kizzy simply because she is white and free while Kizzy is enslaved.
As they grow older, that imbalance becomes clearer. When Kizzy uses her literacy skills to help someone escape, she is punished severely—sold away from her family.
During this moment, Missy Anne does nothing to help her. She watches as Kizzy is taken away and does not intervene.
That moment is what defines Missy Anne’s character for most people. It shows that despite their childhood bond, she ultimately chooses her position in the system over her friendship.
Later in life, the two meet again briefly.
Missy Anne pretends not to recognize Kizzy at all, which reinforces how completely she has aligned herself with the social order of slavery.
So when people talk about Missy Anne, they’re usually not just talking about a person. She represents something bigger:
- how racism and slavery distort relationships
- how power can override personal bonds
- how someone can seem kind on the surface but still uphold harmful systems
In simple terms, Missy Anne is remembered as the childhood friend who had the chance to do the right thing—and didn’t.
What Is the Roots Movie 2016 About?
This dramatic, historical portrait of American slavery, recounting the journey of one family and their will to survive and ultimately carry on their legacy, is based on the 1976 Pulitzer Prize-winning book written by Alex Hayley, Roots: The Saga of an American Family.
The Roots (2016 miniseries) is a remake of the original 1977 Roots TV series. The original series still remains the most-watched TV drama in U.S. television history today.
Roots 2016 Miniseries Trailer
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I would like to address the identification of Marcellous, the cock fighter. His name is Wally Taylor. Wally Taylor also made an appearance in Rocky as a cornerman. The reverend is identified as Edmund Cambridge. Edmund Cambridge had a role in Good Times as Leroy Jackson. Please correct this on your cast member roster.
Hi Carol,
Welcome to Chick About Town. I am sorry but I have neither mentioned Marcellous nor a reverend in my post. Might you have made a mix up?
Biche