Anansi Boys: Delroy Lindo to star in Neil Gaiman’s Amazon series

Last Updated on August 10, 2021

Earlier this month, it was announced that author Neil Gaiman is teaming up with Amazon for a six-episode limited series based on his 2005 fantasy novel Anansi Boys (buy a copy at THIS LINK). While Anansi Boys features the character Mr. Nancy, who was also in Gaiman's American Gods and the Starz series adaptation of that book, the announcement made sure to specify that the Anansi Boys adaptation is completely separate from the American Gods series – and therefore, fans shouldn't expect to see Orlando Jones play Mr. Nancy on Amazon like he did on Starz. Now we know who will be playing Mr. Nancy on Anansi Boys instead of Jones: Delroy Lindo.

Anansi Boys will center on 

Charlie Nancy, a young man who is used to being embarrassed by his estranged father. But when his father dies, Charlie discovers that his father was Anansi: trickster god of stories. And he learns that he has a brother. Now his brother, Spider, is entering Charlie’s life, determined to make it more interesting, but also making it a lot more dangerous.

Gaiman will serve as showrunner alongside Douglas Mackinnon, who directed all six episodes of the Gaiman series Good Omens' first season. Gaiman will also be writing the Anansi Boys scripts with Lenny Henry, Arvind Ethan David, Kara Smith, and Racheal Ofori. Gaiman, Henry, and Mackinnon are executive producing the show with Hilary Bevan Jones, Richard Fee, and Hanelle M. Culpepper.

The first episode will be directed by Culpepper, whose credits include Star Trek: Picard. Jermain Julien (Grantchester) and Azhur Saleem (Doctor Who) are also on board to direct episodes.

Anansi Boys is being produced by Amazon Studios, the Blank Corp., Endor Productions, RED Production, and Paul Frift.

Among the 70+ credits Lindo has racked up in his nearly 50 years of screen acting are Malcolm X, Crooklyn, Congo, Clockers, Get Shorty, Broken Arrow, Ransom, The Cider House Rules, Romeo Must Die, Gone in 60 Seconds, The Core, Sahara, Domino, Da 5 Bloods, and The Good Fight.

Gaiman had this to say about Lindo's casting: 

Delroy Lindo is a giant of the stage and the screen, and we are so lucky to have him. I cannot wait to see his gravitas and charm being deployed for the benefit of Anansi Boys, as he plays an unreliable father with hidden depths."

Mr. Nancy is described as being "a charming man who cheated on Charlie’s mother and who had another side to him as the god of stories and trickery". Lindo is a great choice for the role.