Jalyn Hall Cast as Young Martin Luther King Jr. in “Genius: MLK/X”

Jalyn Hall who starred as Emmett Till in the recent movie Till will play another important Black American historical figure after booking a guest-starring role playing the young Martin Luther King Jr. in Genius: MLK/X, the upcoming fourth installment in the Disney+/National Geographic anthology series, as reported by Deadline.

What’s Happening:

  • Kelvin Harrison Jr. (The Trial of the Chicago 7) plays the adult Martin Luther King Jr in the series, which will focus on the relationship between Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X (Aaron Pierre).
  • Weruche Opia as Coretta Scott King, Jayme Lawson as Betty Shabazz and Ron Cephas Jones as Elijah Muhammad also star in the anthology, the first installment to stream as a Disney+ Original.
  • Channing Godfrey Peoples (Miss Juneteenth) directs the pilot episode and serves as co-executive producer.
  • The fourth season of Genius will explore the formative years, pioneering accomplishments, dueling philosophies and key personal relationships of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. While King advanced racial equality through nonviolent protest, Malcolm X argued forcefully for Black empowerment, identity and self-determination. With their formidable wives, Coretta Scott King and Betty Shabazz, by their sides, King and Malcolm X became synonymous with the civil rights era and the fight for racial and economic justice. While they met only once and often challenged each other’s views, neither would have been as successful without the other.

More on Genius:

  • Genius dramatizes the fascinating stories of the world’s most brilliant innovators, exploring their extraordinary achievements along with their volatile, passionate and complex personal relationships.
  • In 2017, National Geographic premiered the first season of Genius, which starred Geoffrey Rush as the brilliant scientist Albert Einstein.
  • Genius: Einstein earned 10 Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Limited Series, as well as Golden Globe and SAG Award nominations for Rush.
  • The follow-up season, Genius: Picasso, starred Antonio Banderas as the titular Spanish painter and matched much of the success of its predecessor, earning seven Emmy nominations — and two wins — as well as Golden Globe and SAG Award nominations for Banderas.
  • The third installment, Genius: Aretha, starred Cynthia Erivo as Aretha Franklin and premiered as the most-watched telecast for National Geographic in two years. Erivo received Emmy, Critics Choice and Golden Globe nominations for her critically acclaimed role as the Queen of Soul.
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