In the show’s most high-profile casting yet, Whoopi Goldberg joins Neil Gaiman’s Anansi Boys series as the murderous deity Bird Woman. After a failed BBC adaptation, Amazon Studios picked up the series, casting Delroy Lindo (The Harder They Fall) as the main character, Mr. Nancy. In reality, the character is the manifestation of Anansi, an ancient trickster god who governs over spiders, and his death sends his two sons, Fat Charlie and Spider, into a maelstrom of danger. Charlie discovers the old animal gods and tries to make a bargain with one of them to solve his difficulties with his newly discovered sibling.
Except for the remainder of the animal gods, Gaiman and Amazon Studios have cast much of the Anansi Boys cast, including Lindo and Malachi Kirby (Roots) as Mr. Nancy and Charlie/Spider, respectively. Whoopi Goldberg will play the clever Bird Woman who strikes a life-altering pact with Kirby’s protagonist, according to Variety. The Oscar winner is definitely aiming to recoup from a problematic portrayal as Mother Abigail in The Stand, but she will use her previous experience as an older woman with extraordinary talents. Goldberg’s reaction to the casting was as follows:
“I’ve long been a lover of this book, and when Neil Gaiman told me it was being adapted for the movie, I did everything I could to assist bring Anansi and his magic to a wider audience.”
Gaiman admits that when he was writing his story, he pictured Goldberg as Bird Woman. Despite the fact that fate is said to have brought the author and the Sister Act actress together, she isn’t the only ancient animal god who has joined the Anansi Boys. Lion is played by Emmanuel Ighodaro, Elephant is played by Cecilia Noble, Snake is played by Ayanna Witter-Johnson, Monkey is played by Don Gilet, and Tiger is played by Hakeem Kae-Kazim. This dream cast could be excellent for Anansi Boys, but only time will tell if the show succeeds in its six-episode run or if it, like Gaiman’s American Gods, gets canceled.
