Netflix drummed up excitement for its hip-hop series with Baz Luhrmann by doing little more than announcing its existence. That excitement has only increased now that The Get Down has found its stars and given us more information about the South Bronx teens navigating New York City in the late '70s, when hip-hop was just emerging alongside punk rock, and the city was plagued by crime and violence.
Dope star Shameik Moore will play Shaolin Fantastic, a "child of the streets, thrill-seeking, unpredictable, eccentric but above all, enigmatic."
Skylan Brooks, who earned praise for his role in Defeat and will appear in Southpaw, plays Ra-Ra, a "loyal, respected, protective friend and brother with his head screwed on tight, he's the voice of reason beyond his years."
Justice Smith, who's in the upcoming Paper Towns, is Ezekiel, a "smart, resourceful teen brimming with untapped talent and unrequited love who is determined to make his mark in this world."
And newcomer Tremaine Brown Jr., an aspiring rapper and dancer, has been cast as Boo-Boo, a "mechanically minded kid who is an irrepressible 40-year-old in a 14-year-old's body."
"The characters these young actors play in The Get Down unwittingly become a band of brothers," Luhrmann said. "Any great group is always made up of distinctly different characters, and the actors we are privileged enough to invite into the roles of Ezekiel, Shaolin Fantastic, Boo-Boo and Ra-Ra all have the distinction of being from such diverse backgrounds—from performing in subways in the Bronx to the music scene of Atlanta and of course Los Angeles. I know they’re collectively on the beginning of a thrilling journey with a big story to tell."
We can expect The Get Down to debut on Netflix sometime in 2016.
[via THR]
