English - Actor | September 20, 1989 -
If you're good enough to play a role with emotion and universal human elements, then you'll get others coming to you.
Malachi Kirby
GoodEnoughYouPlayOthersEmotion
There are stories I wanted to tell, and they are not defined by what I look like.
LookTellLikeStoriesWanted
I believe it's important to have equal opportunities as a black actor. My way of fighting for it is through my art, by not accepting that there are roles that aren't for me.
ArtMeBelieveOpportunitiesBlack
I was taught about slavery, but it was the ancient Egyptians. That's the closest I got to African history.
HistorySlaveryAncientGotTaught
Schoolkids - black and white - would call me Kunta Kinte as a cuss. If ever my hair was particularly messy, if ever I looked scruffy at school, I would be called Kunta Kinte. My first impression was that it was bad to be African and bad to be associated with him.
Black And WhiteSchoolMeHairBlack
'Roots' focuses on a particular group of people who defy the odds and win, eventually, even if it isn't in their lifetimes. This is, for me, a very positive story and a very empowering one, if only we have that perspective on it.
PositivePerspectivePeopleMeRoots
Kids under, I'd say, 14 are still maturing; they are still growing. They are still understanding themselves. To hit them with something like 'Roots,' to hit them with this particular period of time, it's important to discuss the matters beyond the program itself.
TimeRootsUnderstandingGrowingSay
Kunta Kinte is the closest thing I've ever seen... to a superhero. He's amazing. He's inspirational.
InspirationalAmazingSuperheroSeen
I never got picked for the athletics team for about three years. I was in my third year, and I really wanted to join, and I kept basically knocking on the door of the PE coach. 'Can I join? Can I join?' He's like, 'No... No.' And then one day, he's like, 'Okay, you want to race? Cool. We have a free spot for you. You're gonna be doing the 400.'
DayTeamCoolDoorFreeYear
My roots go back to West Africa, but my last name is Kirby, which is not an African name.
RootsNameBackGoAfricaWest
I think about Shakespeare. Because there have been hundreds of variations of Shakespeare's plays since they've been written, and I believe it's because they're important. They're still relevant today. 'Roots' is still relevant today. The idea that we shouldn't tell this story again is very strange to me.
TodayMeRootsBelieveStoryThink
I don't think I've ever spoken to anyone who's told me that the story of 'Roots' isn't important.
MeRootsStoryThinkImportantEver
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