The Sunday News
Bruce Ndlovu
WHILE his appearance on the history making Game of Thrones might be regarded by some as the pinnacle of his career, Zimbabwean bred actor Lucian Msamati continues to snag high profile roles, with the latest being Gangs of London, a blockbuster series whose production budget has been put at $250m.
Gangs of London, a co-production of HBO/Sky with Pulse Films and Sister Pictures and is (per a $250 million deal,) is set for American cable giant HBO’s Cinemax and Sky Atlantic.
Directed by Gareth Evans, Gangs of London is set in contemporary London as it is being torn apart by power struggles involving several international gangs. The series begins as the head of one criminal gang is assassinated and the power vacuum threatens the fragile peace between the other underworld organisations.
It is yet unclear what role Msamati will play in the series where he is expected to star alongside such small screen luminaries as Michelle Fairley (Game of Thrones), Mark Lewis Jones (Star Wars: The Last Jedi), Narges Rashidi (The Girlfriend Experience), Jing Lusi (Crazy Rich Asians), Pippa Bennett-Warner (Harlots), Brian Vernel (Dunkirk), Orli Shuka (War Machine), Richard Harrington (Poldark), Jude Akuwidike (Beasts of No Nation) and Emmett J Scanlan (Peaky Blinders).
Born in the United Kingdom and brought up in Zimbabwe where he attended Avondale Primary School, Prince Edward High School and the University of Zimbabwe where he attained a BA Honours Degree in French and Portuguese, Msamati cut his teeth with the Over the Edge Theatre Company in Harare. Some of his most notable roles include an appearance on Game of Thrones and a role on the Shakespeare Company’s Othello.
The new series is set to be another glittering feather in Msamati’s cap, as the revered Corin Hardy was appointed as director of Gangs of London back in October. While creator Evans was originally expected to occupy the big chair, Hardy will step in, fresh off his recent hit horror film, The Nun. He was previously attached to direct the long-gestating movie reboot of The Crow, which was to star Jason Momoa, until the project was shelved (permanently,) due to cited creative and financial difficulties.
