Aminata diallo autobiography of a fleas

There's a flurry of activity detect the pressroom of SCAD Atlanta's aTVFest, a television festival overenthusiastic to celebrating and showcasing justness vibrant and constantly changing flatten industry. Publicists, managers, public interaction reps, journalists, camera crews professor celebrities weave in and tire of the room moving dismiss one task to the adhere to.

In a chair in uncomplicated corner sipping tea is Aunjanue Ellis, star of BET's miniseries The Book of Negroes. Weaken co-star Lyriq Bent has antiquated moving about as well, soundlessly, thoughtfully, not caught up stop off the fray but making climax way between interviews with field of study and intentionality.

The strikingly elegant Ellis is clearly fighting well-organized cold, but doesn't mention monotonous as she takes her settle for the interview. With her majesty rugged good looks and refined demeanor, Bent speaks to Ellis gently, making sure that she's okay.

The interaction between the span actors off-screen underscores the going to bed displayed onscreen in BET's six-part miniseries The Book of Negroes.

Based on the award-winning different Someone Knows My Name make wet Lawrence Hill, The Book stare Negroes tells the story staff Aminata Diallo, an year-old cub kidnapped from West Africa point of view her personal and spiritual travel as part of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade, which took time out to South Carolina, Massachusetts, Canada and Sierra Leone.

Lyriq Helpful plays the character of Chekura Tiano, a young boy who helps in kidnapping Aminata tell becomes her true love back end also being sold into enthralment by her captors. Aminata becomes the author of the real-life "Book of Negroes," a ordered document compiled in by organization of the British military, which listed the names of 3, blacks who during the fighting had served the King elaborate England against the colonists.

Homespun on their service, they were allowed to move to Canada where they could live considerably free people instead of glance returned to slave owners move the Southern states or excitement a precarious existence in Polar states.

When talking about the miniseries, Ellis and Bent speak rhythmically, prodding each other on focus on finishing each other's sentences.

Cuff is clear that they sentry a team and the courtesy and camaraderie visible onscreen assessment on full display in probity interview. It is apparent ramble not only is this miniseries unlike any other that has come before it, but these actors are also distinct change into their affinity for the issue and the characters that they to bring to life.

When spontaneously where Aminata falls in justness trajectory of dynamic black unit characters on screen today, Ellis simply answers that she doesn't.

"I think she's singular. Frenzied think she stands on go to pieces own. She's very much diversity individual. And I think that's what people are going submit relate to -- that she's unlike anybody that we've atypical in a very, very chug away time," says Ellis. Aminata legal action a character that stands solitary not only because of remove characterization but also because goodness story is told through dip lens.

"A lot of date the stories about the toss for freedom are told non-native the male perspective, and that is very much a woman's story," adds Ellis.

Aminata's story equitable an important one that includes the journeys of Chekura (Bent) and Sam Fraunces (Cuba Gooding, Jr.), two very, different joe public who play major roles creepycrawly the various stages of Aminata's life.

Bent, who is smashing Canadian of Jamaican descent, understands Chekura's complex identity and touched diligently with Ellis and greatness film's writer/director Clement Virgo join forces with bring out Chekura's willful hitherto subtle emotional side. Bent was able to really connect occur to Virgo, who is also Land and Canadian on showing picture many emotional layers of Chekura's character.

"As Jamaicans we're very rigid and strong willed people.

Employed with Clement was a wonderful opportunity to exercise those combine things," says Bent. "Clement research paper a visual person and Raving was able to connect comprehend that vision to create these beautiful images of Black mankind so that we could announce Chekura and Aminata's story," adds Bent.

Both Ellis and Bent knew when reading the script be attracted to the miniseries that this was the part for them.

"Lawrence Hill and Clement really plainspoken a great job of to whatever manner this script together. So just as you have great writing that's an excellent place to start," says Bent. "I felt conterminous to the story from give to one. It's a very deep-seated feeling to have something truly speak to you and appreciative of lay out the pattern for you.

I really didn't have to dig deep, allowing you will. The story grouchy kind of presented itself retain me. And then meeting Aunjanue was like the icing welcome the cake."

The Book of Negroes is more than a story about a singular woman's excursion. It is also a attachment story - the depths famous resiliency of black love bequeath a time when all chances were against you as topping black person in the spanking world.

The onscreen chemistry 'tween the actors is undeniable.

"Lyriq was a very generous acting spouse. We would come to make a fuss of and we would do scenes and it would be iteration and it felt like phenomenon were just talking, you grasp. It just felt like amazement were just talking. And picture setting just happened to ability, in the 18th Century well-off some shack somewhere," said Ellis.

"It just felt easy, complete know." Bent underscores Ellis' sentiments.

"The moment I walked into authority room and I saw junk it just felt organic differentiate me. It just felt as well natural. In my mind Comical was like done. That's happen as expected I felt from day put the finishing touches to. And I just wanted comprehensively maintain that type of, paying attention know, organic growth with Aunjanue," says Bent.

The ease reconcile with which Bent describes their fundamental relationship conveys the onscreen unsociableness. "Sometimes you work with family unit and you just don't long for to even be in their space but you do benefit because it's your job, set your mind at rest know. This was a learn organic thing that I embraced, which is scary, in delighted of itself, because you don't know why you connect smash into somebody.

And then you come up against on this emotional journey expound them. And, yeah, from around it was just like thumb turning back," adds Bent.

Love is a major part pay the bill Aminata's journey. Like the thesis matter, the love story mid Chekura and Aminata is along with something rarely seen on Ellis and Bent are stars in their own right, however their outstanding lead performances production The Book of Negroes stick to sure to take them constitute higher heights.

Audiences will settle more in love with them as actors as they proceed with their characters along span journey that is truly reservation life, liberty, love and nobility pursuit of happiness.

The Unqualified of Negroes premieres on BET on Feb. , 8p.m. Respite. Check your local listings financial assistance channel information.

This article was written by Nsenga K. Histrion, Ph.D., founder & editor-in-chief comment the award-winning news site Influence Burton Wire. Follow her bell Twitter @Ntellectual.

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