Old Schoolers make some noise if you remember “Morris Thorpe,” the slick talking point guard for ‘George Washington Carver High School’ on the 70’s series, The White Shadow. Actor, Kevin Hooks, played that role like no other.
And today, almost 40 years after Hooks hit the b-ball court with his TV team mates, he’s being highly praised by many for playing another pivotal role. This time, instead of starring in front of the lights, he’s directing the stars from behinds the lights in the new BET Nelson Mandela miniseries, Madiba.
The three-part miniseries has been getting incredible reviews and stars Laurence Fishburne, Orlando Jones (from Drumline), as they tell a side of Mandela that’s rarely seen. Madiba was based off of two of Mandela’s autobiographies, “Conversations with Myself” and “Nelson Mandela by Himself” and check out the history Kevin Hooks just made with the series below…
FIRST BLACK DIRECTOR TO TELL NELSON MANDELA’S STORY
All these years have gone by and this is the first time a Black director was ever granted the opportunity to direct the story of the icon who dedicated his life to freeing and empowering Black people, as well as oppressed people of all races. Crazy, right? Glad to see that it finally happened with Kevin though.
Although Kevin has directed over TV shows and/or movies, he says Madiba was by far the most challenging and the most gratifying.
Kevin Hooks: “I have never directed six hours worth of material before and to have a story and a canvas as large as Nelson Mandela and the liberation of South Africa. […] Without a doubt it was my biggest challenge as a director. Physically, mentally and both. But again, I sort of compared it to climbing Mount Everest which I have not done by the way but it’s one of those things that you don’t know what the journey is going to deliver but you are on it and you know that it’s a worthwhile journey and at the end there is a tremendous sense of accomplishment and self satisfaction.” -via BlackFilm
If missed Madibe, which originally aired on Feb. 1st, 8th, and 15th, y’all know BET will run the hell outta some re-runs so no worries, just look it up and set your recorder for the next run.
Big ups to Kevin Hooks for doing a helluva job directing the cast. He had some amazing actors to work with though, so it was a perfect marriage.
