BEVERLY HILLS , Calif., April 9 (UPI) -- Netflix has announced a quartet of talented teen newcomers will star in its upcoming, music- and dance-themed drama The Get Down, which was created by Baz Luhrmann.
Set in the late 1970s, the show is described as "a mythic saga of how New York at the brink of bankruptcy gave birth to hip-hop, punk and disco -- told through the lives and music of the South Bronx kids who changed the city, and the world... forever." It is scheduled to premiere in 2016. Leading the ensemble are: T.J. Brown, 14, who plays Boo-Boo, a mechanically-minded kid who wants to get down; Justice Smith, 19, who plays Ezekiel, a smart, resourceful teen brimming with untapped talent and unrequited love, who is determined to make his mark in this world; Shameik Moore, 19, who plays Shaolin Fantastic, a child of the streets. Thrill-seeking, unpredictable, eccentric but above all, enigmatic; and Skylan Brooks, 16, who 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, Netflix said in a news release.