Summary
An alumnus from theAll American: Homecomingcastis set to play iconic boxerMuhammad Ali. Born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr., the iconic activist and sports legend lived from 1942 through 2016. Numerous documentaries and biopics have been made about the icon’s life, with one of the most recent onscreen portrayals being the Oscar-nominated movieOne Night in Miami…in which he was played by Eli Goree opposite Kingsley Ben-Adir as Malcolm X, Aldis Hodge as Jim Brown, and Leslie Odom Jr. as Sam Cooke.
PerVariety,Jaalen Best has been cast to star as Muhammad Aliin the upcoming Prime Video showThe Greatest, which is set to focus primarily on the legend’s life out of the ring, though his legendary achievements will still be part of the fabric of the show. The project, which is being executive produced by the boxer’s widow Lonnie Ali, is the first authorized scripted show inspired by Ali’s life.Burn Notice,Cross, andHand of God’s Ben Watkins has been set to be the showrunner of the series.
The Greatest Could Be Jaalen Best’s Breakout Role
In all likelihood,The Greatestwill give Jaalen Best his breakthrough role. In addition to being his first time playing the lead character in any show, it will provide him with his longest-running character yet, presuming the show runs for four episodes or more. So far, Best’s longest stint on any show has been playing Ryan Craig on three episodes ofAll American: Homecoming, though he has also appeared on episodes of the Hulu anthology showAmerican Horror Storiesand the reboot ofMagnum P.I.
All three episodes where Jaalen Best played Ryan Craig aired duringAll American: Homecomingseason 2 in 2023.
By taking on the role, Bestjoins a long line of celebrated performers to play versions of the iconic boxer. PreviousMuhammad Ali actorshave included Terrence Howard (in ABC’s 2000 TV movieKing of the World),Arrow’s David Ramsey (in the same year’s Fox TV movieAli: An American Hero), Will Smith (in the 2001 biopicAli), and Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù (in the original stage version ofOne Night in Miami). Smith was even nominated for an Oscar for his performance as Ali, though he lost to Denzel Washington inTraining Day.
One Night In Miami: Why Cassius Clay Changed His Name To Muhammad Ali
One Night in Miami explains the true significance of Cassius Clay’s name change to Muhammad Ali. We break down the facts and the cinematic subtext.
It remains to be seen what other stars and characters surround Jaalen Best asMuhammad Ali. The cast could be entirely filled out with unknowns and still draw attention because of its connection to such an iconic superstar. However, if Best is surrounded by more seasoned performers who are more likely to be household names, they may also draw attention to the project and help the up-and-coming star launch the biggest role of his television career so far.
