A new Samuel L. Jackson project is coming our way, and it’s something pretty different from the tough-talking acting legend.
According to Variety, Jackson is starring in and executive producing a six-part docuseries titled Enslaved, which focuses on unlocking information about human trafficking “from Africa and the New World.” The site says the show, which is slated to air on Epix September 14, will cover 400 years worth of history on the subject. The show will also premiere on Canada’s CBC network on October 18. Per a press release obtained by The Root, the series is being internationally distributed by British-based content company Fremantle.
“The series uses a DNA test to identify Jackson’s ancestral tribe and trace his personal journey from the US to Gabon for his induction into the Benga tribe,” Variety reads. “Each episode follows three separate storylines: Jackson’s personal story, the quest for a sunken slave ship, and a historical investigation led by investigative journalists Simcha Jacobovici and Afua Hirsch.” Jackson posted a series of photos during his time in Africa to his Instagram page last year while filming the show.
“By involving Samuel L. Jackson—that instantly appeals to a completely new demographic, younger audiences familiar with his incredibly vast catalog of movies,” Hirsch says of the celebrity component of the series. “But also the archaeological element, the adventure of it, the dives and the mystery-solving as well as the storytelling and the traveling, I think it’s so many things.” Hirsch also discusses the significance of this part of world history, stating that “There is no British or American or South American or African person who was not touched by [human trafficking.]”
Aside from his well-known films, some of Jackson’s previous acting work has aimed to bring awareness to this devastating topic. He starred in the 2014 film Kite, which chronicles one woman’s experiences through the world of human trafficking in order to discover who murdered her parents. He is also a staunch human rights advocate and activist who has supported various Africa-based causes and charities, such as the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund and Artists for a New South Africa.
Join the discussion! The Root is hosting its first-ever, virtual Root Institute, presented by Target, featuring several of the leading minds in our community talking about politics, culture, health, community building and social impact. Subscribe for updates today!