Viola Davis and Andre Braugher will lead the cast of ABC’s recreation of the 1970s classic TV show, Good Times, for its second Live in Front of a Studio Audience special.
The award-winning actors will play Florida and James Evans, roles made famous by Esther Rolle and John Amos on the original CBS sitcom.
ABC made the announcement Thursday, saying the pair will be joined by Tiffany Haddish; Asante Blackk and Jharrel Jerome, both from When They See Us. Jerome won an Emmy Award in September for his portrayal of Korey Wise in the Netflix limited series. Also joining the ensemble cast of the Good Times remake are Saturday Night Live alum Jay Pharoah and Jamie Foxx’s daughter, Corinne Foxx.
Pharoah will play Florida and James Evans’ eldest son J.J. (originally played by Jimmie Walker). Foxx will portray Thelma Evans, while Blackk takes on the role of the couple’s youngest son, Michael Evans. Haddish will play everyone’s favorite neighbor Willona Woods (originally played by Ja’net Dubois). ABC has not yet released details on Jerome’s role.
The show’s theme song will be performed by R&B legend Patti LaBelle and Black-ish star Anthony Anderson.
Related Story: ‘The Jeffersons’ Remake Scores Record Emmy for Creator Norman Lear
Davis is best-known for her Emmy-winning turn as Annalise Keating in ABC’s legal drama How to Get Away with Murder, while Braugher rose to stardom in the Emmy-winning role of Frank Pembleton on NBC’s Homicide: Life on The Street. More recently, he has played Ray Holt on the sitcom Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
Details on the cast for the Good Times remake comes one day after ABC announced Woody Harrelson, Marisa Tomei, Ellie Kemper and Ike Barinholtz will reprise their roles as Archie and Edith Bunker, Gloria Stivic and Meathead on the All in the Family portion of Live in Front of a Studio Audience: ‘All in the Family’ and ‘Good Times.’
The four will be joined by Kevin Bacon, Jesse Eisenberg, and Justina Machado for the holiday-inspired live event.
The special is produced by Sony Pictures Television, and will recreate installments of Norman Lear and Bud Yorkin’s Emmy Award-winning series All in the Family and groundbreaking sitcom Good Times, created by Mike Evans, Eric Monte and developed by Lear.
The live event will be produced by Kimmelot, ACT III Productions, Gary Sanchez Productions, D’Arconville, Simpson Street and Sony Pictures Television. Lear, Jimmy Kimmel, Brent Miller, Kerry Washington, Will Ferrell, Justin Theroux and Jim Burrows will executive produce. Pam Fryman and Andy Fisher will direct the live show.
Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear’s ‘All in the Family’ and ‘The Jeffersons’ premiered on Wednesday, May 22. The show reached a combined 23.5 million viewers across its original Wednesday broadcast and two encore airings on Saturday, May 25, and Saturday, Aug. 17. The broadcast won an Emmy Award in September for Outstanding Variety Special (Live).
Live in Front of a Studio Audience: ‘All in the Family’ and ‘Good Times’ will air on Wednesday, Dec. 18 at 8:00 p.m. EST on ABC.
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