Claire Thompson
In 2016, the History Channel produced an eight-hour remake of the 1977 miniseries Roots, which was simulcast on Lifetime and A&E. The remake featured a star-studded cast, including British actor Rege-Jean Page, who portrayed the iconic character of Chicken George. Page, who is of British and Zimbabwean descent, reflected on how he drew on his diverse upbringing for the role, which he felt was a unique and personal journey.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of actor who played Chicken George in the remake of Roots | Rege-Jean Page |
| Year of the remake | 2016 |
| Name of the character played by Rege-Jean Page | Chicken George |
| Name of the show | Roots |
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What You'll Learn
Chicken George was played by Rege-Jean Page in the remake
Chicken George was played by Rege-Jean Page in the 2016 remake of the 1977 miniseries Roots. The History Channel remake was an eight-hour miniseries that aired over four consecutive nights. Page, who is of British and Zimbabwean descent, said that the role of Chicken George was one he grew up knowing very personally. He was drawn to the uniqueness of the character, whom he described as a man "the likes of which no one has ever seen". Page also said that his diverse upbringing, which included travelling through Africa, the UK, and the US, helped him in his acting career.
Chicken George was played by Ben Vereen in the original 1977 series. The character was portrayed by Ave Long in the 1979 sequel Roots: The Next Generation.
The 2016 remake of Roots featured an ensemble cast, including Forest Whitaker as Fiddler, Anna Paquin as Nancy Holt, Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Tom Lea, Anika Noni Rose as Kizzy, and Laurence Fishburne as Alex Haley.
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Page is of British and Zimbabwean descent
Rege-Jean Page, who played Chicken George in the remake of Roots, is of British and Zimbabwean descent. Page, who studied at Drama Centre London, said that he was drawn to the uniqueness of the character, describing Chicken George as a man "the likes of which no one has ever seen."
Page's upbringing included travels through Africa, the UK, and the US, and he believes that hearing different opinions and having diverse experiences have helped his acting. He also stated that growing up in different places across the world and traveling expands one's mind.
Chicken George, the character he played, is the sole born of the third generation of the Kunta Kinte lineage. He is the first member of the Kinte family to earn his freedom. Page reflected on the role, stating that it was a large personal journey for him, and the more he learned about the character, the more he learned about himself.
The 2016 remake of Roots, an eight-hour miniseries, aired on the History Channel and was executive produced by Mark Wolper, Will Packer, Marc Toberoff, Lawrence Konner, and Mark Rosenthal.
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Chicken George was born into slavery in North Carolina
Chicken George, born in 1806, was the son of Kizzy, a slave, and her master, Tom Lea. Kizzy was raped repeatedly by her new master after her arrival on the Lea Plantation in Virginia. Despite this, she loved and raised her son. George was named after his father, Tom Lea's, first slave.
George was born into slavery in Caswell County, North Carolina, and grew up on the Lea Plantation. At the age of 12, he was moved out of his mother's cabin to live at the gamecock pen, where he learned to train fighting roosters. By the time he was 14 or 15, he had begun travelling with cockfighters Moore and Mingo, and won his first cockfight. At 18, he was promoted to head trainer for cockfighting by Tom Lea, who saw his potential to bring him wealth and fame.
George became an expert in cockfighting, earning himself the moniker "Chicken George". He was known for his colourful, flamboyant personality and his skills in the ring. He became best friends with his master, Moore, and the two travelled across the southern states of America, winning most of their matches. However, George's newfound freedom would be short-lived. After a chance encounter with a former slave, George was inspired to seek his own freedom.
Chicken George was portrayed in the 2016 remake of the 1977 miniseries "Roots" by British actor Rege-Jean Page. The series aired on the History Channel and told the story of Kunta Kinte's lineage, with Chicken George as the sole born of the third generation.
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![Roots: The Complete Original Series (BD) [Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91nmElTFcFL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
![Roots - The Complete Collection (Roots / Roots - The Next Generations) [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81gsf1cTc4L._AC_UY218_.jpg)
He earned his nickname from his cockfighting skills
Chicken George, the character from the 1977 miniseries Roots, was played by Ben Vereen. The 2016 remake of the series featured Rege-Jean Page as Chicken George.
George was born into slavery in 1806 in Caswell, North Carolina. His mother, Kizzy, was raped by her master, Tom Lea, and gave birth to George. When George was 12, he was moved out of his mother's cabin to live at the gamecock pen with Uncle Mingo, who trained fighting roosters for the master. George quickly took a liking to the fighting roosters and began apprenticing under Uncle Mingo. He proved to be a quick learner in all aspects of rooster care and fighting, and soon became an expert in cockfighting.
George attended his first cockfight at the age of 14 or 15 and won. As he continued to win matches and tournaments, he earned himself the nickname "Chicken George." His skills in cockfighting brought him fame and wealth, and he became the number one cockfighter in Caswell County. George's success in cockfighting also contributed to his close relationship with Master Lea, who often treated him like a partner rather than a slave.
In addition to his cockfighting prowess, Chicken George was known for his colourful and flamboyant personality. He was a ladies' man but eventually settled down with Matilda, a strong Christian slave woman. Together, they had eight children, including Tom and Lewis Murray.
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Chicken George was the first member of the Kinte family to earn his freedom
Chicken George, born in 1806 in Caswell, North Carolina, was the son of Kizzy, a slave, and her master, Tom Lea. Kizzy was raped by Tom, and although her son was born as a result of this assault, she loved and raised him. At age 12, George was moved out of his mother's cabin to live at the gamecock pen, where he began to train fighting roosters. By the age of 14 or 15, he had won his first cockfight, and at 18, he was promoted to head trainer for cockfighting by his father, who saw his potential to bring wealth and fame.
George's prowess in cockfighting earned him the moniker "Chicken George." He travelled across the southern states of America with Tom Lea, winning most of his matches, although he was sometimes conned out of his winnings. George's skills in cockfighting also led him to become best friends with his master, Moore. However, when George and Moore were confronted by aristocrats on their way back from a match, Moore's drunken state saved George from being killed for his association with a slave named Nat Turner. Upon their return to the plantation, Mrs Moore, scared and paranoid, shot at George, injuring him. This incident made George realize that he couldn't trust his master as a friend, and he began to plot a way to buy freedom for himself and his family.
Before a match against Squire James and Sir Eric Russell, Moore promised George that he would grant him his freedom if they won. George and Moore's chickens fought against Russell's, and during the break, Moore bet a large sum against Russell, who accepted. However, Moore lost the bet and had to lend George to Russell to pay the debt. As part of the settlement, George went to England to train cocks for Russell and train more trainers. Moore promised to set George free upon his return and keep his family together in his absence.
In England, George served Russell for over 20 years before being sent back to America in 1861. Upon his return, George discovered that his family, except for Kizzy, had been sold off to another plantation. He also learned that his mother had passed away. Despite Moore's initial reluctance, George persuaded him to grant his freedom, making him the first member of the Kinte family to earn his freedom.
In the 1977 television miniseries "Roots," Chicken George was portrayed by Ben Vereen, and in the 2016 remake, he was played by Regé-Jean Page.
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Frequently asked questions
Rege-Jean Page played Chicken George in the 2016 remake of Roots.
Page is of British and Zimbabwean descent and studied acting at Drama Centre London.
Page said the role was one he "'grew up knowing very personally'" and that Chicken George was a unique character "the likes of which no one has ever seen."
