Tony winners Phylicia Rashad, Courtney B. Vance, and Oprah Winfrey, Oscar and Emmy nominee Angela Bassett, and more star in HBO’s adaptation of Ta-Nehisi Coates’ Between the World and Me November 21 at 8 PM ET on HBO, with the special also available to stream on HBO Max.
The lineup also includes Coates himself, Oscar winner Mahershala Ali, activist Angela Davis, Emmy winners Jharrel Jerome and Joe Morton, and Pose star Mj Rodriguez and director-executive producer Janet Mock. Rounding out the cast are Wendell Pierce, Alicia Garza, Marc Bamuthi Joseph, Jason Moran, Kendrick Sampson, Yara Shahidi, Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter, Pauletta Washington, Susan Kelechi Watson, Michelle Wilson, Tip “T.I.” Harris, Mimi Jones, Ledisi, Greg Alverez Reid, Nate Smith, and Olivia Washington.
Published in 2015 and written as a long-form letter to Coates’ son, Between the World and Me examines what it means to be Black in America today.
The HBO presentation is inspired by The Apollo's 2018 staging of the work, combining elements of that production, including readings from the book, and will again be directed by Kamilah Forbes. In addition, the special incorporates documentary footage from the performers’ home lives, archival footage, and animation.
Between the World and Me is executive produced by Ta-Nehisi Coates, Susan Kelechi Watson, and Roger Ross Williams. Williams’ production company One Story Up produces.
