Exclusive: Genius: MLK/X interviews Kelvin Harrison Jr., Aaron Pierre, Weruche Opia, Jayme Lawson, Gina Prince-Bythewood & Reggie Rock Bythewood
Now playing on National Geographic is the newest installment of the Emmy Award-winning anthology series GENIUS: MLK/X. For the first time, the docu-drama series explores the lives of two iconic geniuses: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X.
The cast of the season includes: Kelvin Harrison Jr. as King, Aaron Pierre as X, Weruche Opia as Coretta Scott King, and Jayme Lawson as Betty Shabazz.
In a first for the franchise, the new season of the Emmy® Award-winning anthology series will focus on two iconic geniuses: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) and Malcolm X (Aaron Pierre). "GENIUS: MLK/X" will explore the formative years, where they were molded by strong fathers and traumatic injustices, to their rich, parallel stories as they shaped their identities and became the change they wished to see in the world. The docudrama series offers an intimate look into their complex lives as husbands, fathers, brothers and sons, taking them off the iconic T-shirts to show their humanity. With their formidable wives, Coretta Scott King (Weruche Opia) and Betty Shabazz (Jayme Lawson), leading by their sides, King and X are two visionaries who ultimately rose to pioneer a movement.
Raphael Jackson Jr. and Damione Macedon are co-showrunners and executive producers. Reggie Rock Bythewood and Gina Prince-Bythewood served as executive producers via Undisputed Cinema along with Francie Calfo. For Imagine Television, Brian Grazer, Ron Howard and Kristen Zolner are executive producers. For Madison Wells, Gigi Pritzker and Rachel Shane serve as executive producers. For EUE/Sokolow, Sam Sokolow is executive producer. Jeff Stetson (“The Meeting”) penned the pilot and is executive producer.
Channing Godfrey Peoples (“Miss Juneteenth”) directed the pilot episode and also served as co-executive producer. Ambassador Shabazz, the daughter of Malcolm X Shabazz and Dr. Betty Shabazz, served as a consulting producer. 20th Television also produced.
Blackfilmandtv.com's Wilson Morales talks to cast members Kelvin Harrison Jr., Aaron Pierre, Weruche Opia, Jayme Lawson, and executive producers Gina Prince-Bythewood and Reggie Rock Bythewood on National Geographic's "Genius: MLK/X"