‘Anansi Boys’ Casts Whoopi Goldberg as Bird Woman in Neil Gaiman’s Amazon Studios Adaptation

Amazon Studios’ adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s novel Anansi Boys has added those from the World Before Time.

Whoopi Goldberg has been cast in the role of key antagonist Bird Woman, God of Birds. “She’s the embodiment of birds. Not just beautiful stately birds in flight,” her character description reads. “Anyone who’s had a close encounter with a seagull knows that some birds are more dangerous than others, and Bird Woman is the most dangerous of them all. Long ago Anansi did her wrong. Now may be her chance to turn the tables.”

The series follows Charlie Nancy (Malachi Kirby), sometimes known as Fat Charlie, who is a young man used to being embarrassed by his estranged father (who gave him that nickname, though he’s not fat), When his dad dies, he discovers that he was Anansi: Trickster God of stories (Delroy Lindo) and he has a brother, Spider (Kirby), who’s determined to make his life more interesting — and instead makes it much more dangerous.

“I have been a fan of this book for a very long time and when Neil Gaiman told me it was being brought to the screen, I did everything I could to be part of it to help make people aware of Anansi and all his magic,” Goldberg said.

Added Gaiman, who serves as co-showrunner, writer, and executive producer, “When I first conceived Anansi Boys, decades ago, I imagined Whoopi Goldberg as Bird Woman. I wasn’t able to meet her until 2018, when she interviewed me with some of the Good Omens team at New York Comic Con. At which point she mentioned that she had just finished listening to Sir Lenny Henry’s reading of Anansi Boys, and that it was one of her favourite books. Sometimes things feel planned and inevitable, and we are incredibly lucky. She’s going to be scary.”

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Also cast in the adaptation are the gods of “the mythical World Before Time—a place that isn’t a place, where the animals who are gods still walk. A place of incredible beauty, magic, and danger.” Hakeem Kae-Kazim will play Tiger, who’s still angry with Anansi for stealing the stories, for making fun of him, and for coming out on top. He’s a dangerous enemy to Anansi and all his bloodline. Emmanuel Ighodaro will play Lion, who is proud and noble and has no time for Anansi. Cecilia Noble’s Elephant is old and wise, and hates Anansi. Ayanna Witter-Johnson’s beautiful and deadly Snake also hates Anansi. And Don Gilet will play Monkey. He’s terrified of Anansi, keen on food—particularly fruit—and has the attention span of, well, a monkey.

The cast also includes the previously-announced Amarah-Jae St. Aubyn as Rosie Noah, Grace Saif as Detective Constable Daisy Day, Jason Watkins as Grahame Coats, Fiona Shaw as Maeve Livingstone, CCH Pounder as Mrs. Higgler, L. Scott Caldwell as Mrs. Dunwiddy, Joy Richardson as Mrs. Bustamonte, and Lachele Carl as Miss Noles.

Gaiman, Henry, Douglas Mackinnon, Hanelle M. Culpepper, Hilary Bevan Jones, and Richard Fee are executive producers. Gaiman and Henry write for the series along with Arvind Ethan David, Kara Smith, and Racheal Ofori. Gaiman and Mackinnon serve as co-showrunners. Culpepper also directs the pilot. Paul Frift serves as producer.