The Roots’ Tariq Trotter will join Oprah, Angela Bassett, and others in a star-studded HBO fall special
Between the Between the World and Me is an adaptation of Ta-Nehisi Coates’ best-selling book and the 2018 Apollo Theater production that sprung from it.
The Roots’ Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter is one of the first wave of participants announced for HBO’s fall special Between the World and Me.
An adaptation of Ta-Nehisi Coates’ best-selling book and the 2018 Apollo Theater production that sprung from it, the all-star special so far also includes media mogul Oprah Winfrey and actors Angela Bassett, Joe Morton, Phylicia Rashad, Courtney B. Vance, Pauletta Washington, and Susan Kelechi Watson, as well as Black Lives Matter cofounder Alicia Garza.
There’s no air date beyond fall for the special, directed by Apollo Theater executive producer Kamilah Forbes. It’s in production under COVID-19 guidelines, and will combine elements of the Apollo production with readings from Coates’ book, footage from the actors’ home lives, archival footage, and animation, according to HBO.
Besides his Tonight Show appearances with the Roots, Trotter’s recent TV credits include HBO’s The Deuce, where he had a recurring role as Reggie Love, a Vietnam veteran and pimp, and a guest role in Tina Fey’s Netflix series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.