“Roots” made TV history when it premiered on ABC 45 years ago, with more than half the country tuning in for the adaptation of Alex Haley’s bestselling novel about his enslaved ancestors.
To celebrate the film’s anniversary and to mark Black History Month, TheWrap recently spoke with John Amos, who was Emmy-nominated for his portrayal of main character Kunta Kinte, and Louis Gossett Jr, who won a Best Supporting Emmy for his role as Kunta’s often contentious mentor Fiddler.
Neither actor dreamed the epic tale of Kunta (who was played as a young man in the miniseries by LeVar Burton) would be such an enormous hit, and Gossett couldn’t believe it got made in the first place.