Before becoming Muhammad Ali, it was Cassius Clay, a young Louisville boxer with a talent out of the ordinary and a future all to build. The Greatest TV series in 8 episodes presented in Rome and coming on November 4 on Prime Video tells this phase of the champion’s life, starting from 1960, when a Cassius Clay of 18 years returns home after conquering the gold medal at the Rome Olympics and arriving in 1964 with the first season. From that moment the series follows the path that will lead it to become one of the most recognizable characters in the history of sports but not only.
The series was conceived, written and directed by Ben Watkins, with Michael B. Jordan among the executive producers and Jaalen Best (his first important role) as the protagonist: “Jordan is a friend. He pushed me to embrace this role, I understood how important it would be for my career.” Best trained with dedication for over a year as Watkins explained during the presentation underlining the pounds he had to lose before starting and those he earned during the shooting following the path of change of Alì.
The project was born of a long research on the life of Muhammad Ali, with the family and in particular the wife of the boxer very involved. Best has told how important the presence of people who knew him was to give him confidence on the physical similarity and to tell him utlery details. Watkins told in the pressbook that he began to study the figure of the boxer as a boy and to have built the series with the aim to focus not only on the sports icon, but also on the man and the relationships that contributed to his training.
The Greatest e l’avvio da Roma
The TV series begins with the visit of American athletes at the Colosseum during the 1960 Olympics. The victory of gold in the eternal city, in a country where there were no differences between black and white as in the land from which it came, was fundamental for the growth of Cassius Clay, to make him understand the world. Ben Watkins also pointed out that the epicity of a victory in the gladiatorial cradle was functional to the story, which is why victory in Rome is not only told but lived.
After the victory the young boxer is welcomed in his Louisville, where Olympic success is not enough to erase the contradictions of the American society of the 1960s. Clay has to face racism and expectations related to his family while trying to build a professional career and conquer the world title of heavyweights. The sporting route is intertwined with the personal one. Cassius is still a boy who seeks his place in the world and has to confront the family, friends, first coaches and people destined to become fundamental in his life. These include brother Rudy, mother Odessa, father Cassius Clay Sr. and future coach Angelo Dundee.
The series also follows the progressive transformation of the young boxer into the public figure that the world will learn about. During the season Malcolm X and Sonny Liston also entered his life, while the relationship with the Nation of Islam became an important part of his personal evolution and public identity.
Oltre lo sport
“Today I feel even more the strength and the desire to tell a story that can inspire to change things like that of Muhammad Ali,” the showrunner said, “I was more interested in the man than the world of boxing.” “Alì has pushed a community to join and fight together, the series brings important themes still today,” added Best with Giovanni Ribisi (who plays Angelo Dundee the coach of Ali) who stressed how he was a man who sacrificed for his principles.
Il cast
The role of Cassius Clay is entrusted to Jaalen Best, accompanied by a cast that includes interpreters called to represent the family, friends, coaches and figures who accompanied the boxer in the early years of his career.
Jaalen Best – Cassius Clay / Muhammad Ali: il giovane pugile di Louisville destinato a diventare Muhammad Ali
Kai Parham – Rudy Clay: il fratello minore di Cassius
Dana Gourrier – Odessa Bird Clay: la madre di Cassius, figura centrale nella famiglia
Omari Hardwick – Cassius Cash Clay Sr.: il padre di Cassius, pittore e figura importante nella sua formazione
Michael Ealy – Malcolm X: una delle figure che contribuiscono all’evoluzione personale e politica di Cassius
Giovanni Ribisi – Angelo Dundee: l’allenatore che accompagna Cassius nella sua crescita professionale
Amin Joseph – Sonny Liston: il campione dei pesi massimi che rappresenta uno dei principali avversari della carriera di Clay
Erica Tazel – Geraldine Liston: la moglie di Sonny Liston
Reno Wilson – Drew Bundini Brown: membro della cerchia di Cassius e presenza importante nel suo entourage
Aleks Paunovic – William Faversham Jr.: uomo legato al mondo professionale del pugile
Dave Davis – Marvin Geller: membro dell’ambiente che circonda Cassius
Adrian Alvarado – Dr. Ferdie Pacheco: medico del gruppo che segue il giovane pugile
L’articolo The Greatest on Prime Video in November the series on Muhammad Ali “a symbol still today” proviene da Dituttounpop.it.
