In case you missed it, Chinua Achebe’s 1958 book Things Fall Apart is coming back in a TV series adaptation by Idris Elba and A24 Productions.
It’s confirmed Idris Elba is more than an executive producer on this project. He’s also going to play the protagonist, Okonkwo. While we will give anything to see Elba shirtless, playing Nna Anyi in this series, we just think of ourselves as better suited to do the casting for A24. Anyway, we found our own Okonkwo and other actors that’d eat up the major characters in Things Fall Apart.
Gentle Jack as Okonkwo
Veteran actor Gentle Jack isn’t only an actor who speaks Igbo fluently, he’s also an impressive act. His no-nonsense face, big-chief moustache, height, and big body build capture the Okonkwo profile so well. He has a firm baritone to match, too. Perfect.
Emeka Nwagbaraocha as Nwoye
This is a mummy’s boy who became a hard guy because his daddy’s a big bully. Our money’s on Emeka to balance Nwoye’s character development with an appropriate amount of emotional turbulence.
Chiwetalu Agu as Unoka
This is Okonkwo’s lazy and spendthrift father and Nwoye’s grandfather. Think of an actor who’d play someone who’s too cowardly to be a warrior but would conveniently walk around the village and borrow money—no one’s touching the legend of Chiwetalu Agu.
Jide Kene Achufusi as Ikemefuna
If there’s a perfect “son” for Okonkwo and a macho role model for Nwoye, no one’s playing it better than Jide Kene. Trust him to make Nwoye sharp quickly.
Uzoamaka Aniunoh as Ezinma
With her dove eyes and collected demeanour, Uzoamaka as Ezinne is the perfect character to be a soft spot of Okonkwo. Sweet and assertive is what this role needs. She’s got those.
Rita Edochie as Ekwefi
Ekwefi is Ezinma’s mum. We’ve seen the mother-daughter chemistry between Uzoamaka Aniunoh and Rita Edochie in CJ Obasi’s Mami Wata (2023), and we’re confident they can take it up a notch in a Things Fall Apart show.
Kelechi Udegbe as Enoch
Kelechi Udegbe is the best fit to play a popular fanatic Christian in a village of traditional worshippers. If you’ve seen Kelechi in Mami Wata as a revolt leader (Jabi), or as a passionate police officer (Corporal) in Collision, you’d know that no one applies zealotry like he does.
Jennifer Eliogu as Chielo
She’s the priestess. Please, leave this role for her.
