Quotes from Malachi Kirby

My roots go back to West Africa, but my last name is Kirby, which is not an African name.

When I was in school, my first acknowledgement of 'Roots' was Kunta Kinte.

My dad passed when I was 6. I found out when I was about 21 that my dad always said acting would be the making of me. Where he got that from, I have no idea.

When my dad passed, I felt like I had to grow up very quickly.

Kunta Kinte is the closest thing I've ever seen... to a superhero. He's amazing. He's inspirational.

I found that there were things that God could reveal to me that I could never get myself physically.

There was a period when I had apple pie as a treat every day of the week. I mean, like, a family apple pie.

Charlie Brooker is crazy.

It's really cheesy, but basically, 'Roots' got me to find out my own roots.

At first, I had this huge desire to play a superhero, that little kid in me. Then I realized it wasn't actually a superhero I wanted to play: it was someone fighting for a cause that's bigger than themselves, which can go into all sorts of things.

I was taught about slavery, but it was the ancient Egyptians. That's the closest I got to African history.

There are many people still ashamed of their roots because of the negative connotations that come with being an 'African.' That sentiment exists many places around the world - in England, in the U.S., everywhere.

I haven't experienced a lot of prejudice in my life, but I'm not naive to what goes on in the world.

There are stories I wanted to tell, and they are not defined by what I look like.

Kids under, I'd say, 14 are still maturing; they are still growing. They are still understanding themselves. To hit them with something like 'Roots,' to hit them with this particular period of time, it's important to discuss the matters beyond the program itself.

I wasn't raised Christian. I certainly had to seek Him out and find Him, and it's changed my life. I'm so glad I did.

Mum used to say that when I went out of the house, I represented her. I took that seriously. So I didn't get involved with a lot of things. I held myself in a particular way.

My mum is... interesting. So, like, she's very expressive and loving, but even if she does get excited about any of my achievements, she won't show it... There's something about her that wants to keep me humble.

I was the shiest person you could think of. I didn't really speak. I was an only child, so most of my life I spent in my bedroom playing with toys by myself, speaking through them.

When I heard that 'Roots' was being remade, my first response was, 'Seriously?' I was a bit skeptical. Then I had an audition in early 2015. I didn't know how to feel about it. I was a little scared of the responsibility of telling the story again with the weight of the first one behind me - I was scared of comparisons.

Schoolkids - black and white - would call me Kunta Kinte as a cuss. If ever my hair was particularly messy, if ever I looked scruffy at school, I would be called Kunta Kinte. My first impression was that it was bad to be African and bad to be associated with him.

I was 22 when my mother gave me the original box set of 'Roots' and she said, 'I want you to watch this.' I watched the whole thing back to back in the span of 24 hours. It had a profound effect on me. It felt like my story.

Even around my family, I hardly spoke. I was very reserved.

I don't think I've ever spoken to anyone who's told me that the story of 'Roots' isn't important.