Return to Roots

IN 1977, Roots made its debut on US television. It was one of the biggest television events of its time and only a matter of time before the story is retold.
That mini-series, based on Alex Haley’s 1976 novel Roots: The Saga of an American Family, helped launch the career of LeVar Burton in his role as Kunta Kinte, a young African who was kidnapped from his home and sold to slavery in America.
Burton, who went on to play the iconic Lt Commander Geordi La Forge in Star Trek: The Next Generation, has returned to his “roots” so to speak, as one of the producers of History Channel’s retelling of this family saga.
There were ­other memorable ­characters in the series. One of the most ­prominent was Chicken George, the ­grandson of Kunta who was the first in his family to be emancipated.
He was also the product of rape by white slave owner Tom Lea (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) who forced himself on Kunta’s daughter Kizzie (Anika Noni Rose) after purchasing her.
Originally played by Tony Award ­winner Ben Vereen, George is now ­essayed by UK-born actor Rege-Jean Page.
Page has enjoyed a good career on stage and the small screen in the UK. He will next be seen on another TV series, Spark.
During a tele-conference call with Page who was in Los Angeles, the actor admitted he never watched the original series or read Haley’s book before he auditioned for the role. He only did that afterwards and expressed great respect for the ­original production and Vereen’s portrayal of George.
At the time casting was done for the original series, numerous black ­actors auditioned as it was one of the first major productions that offered ­actors of colour leading roles. This lack of opportunities for black actors in Hollywood was brought up again recently.
Still, Page felt a lot has changed in the world in general, and in film and ­television as well. “I think half the reason why we remade this production is because of what we know of the world [and] our ­history, and [that] our ability to tell complex stories about complex people has grown ­immeasurably on television.”
He said the show is a reflection of all the progress that has been made, but at the same time, thinks that there is still more progress to be made on the subject of race ­representation on TV and in movies.
Officially, slavery has been abolished. However, in ­reality, there are still millions who are enslaved around the world due to human trafficking.
“The themes of this series are universal. People can ­relate to a story about those who have been ­oppressed and ­exploited.
“I think there is no shortage of political oppression, inequality and exploitation in the world today.
“Roots is a story of a people who lived through the extreme, survived it and overcame it. I think that is the absolute universal theme that could be taken away by anyone, ­anywhere in the world.
“I think Roots told a story that’s ­universal, that no one wanted to tell before. It was an untold story, that got told very well.”
In this remake, the role of Chicken George has been ­expanded. “I think George ­represents something new. He is a useful ­character, and inspiring to carry the narrative along. In a world where he is not allowed any ambition at all, he wants everything. I think that is very inspiring.”
Page plays George from age 18 to his 60s.
Unlike Haley, Page has never felt the need to trace his ancestry.
“I know a lot of my ­family, and I feel blessed at the moment. I don’t feel the need to dig deeper than I have to.
“I define myself very much like George – by my own achievements, by my own family.”
Roots premieres on History (Astro channel 555) from May 30 to June 2 at 9pm.