Stars of Baz Luhrmann's 'The Get Down' are introduced by Netflix

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.

"The characters these young actors play in The Get Down unwittingly become a band of brothers," Luhrmann said in a statement Thursday. "Any great group is always made up of distinctly different characters, and the actors we are privileged enough to invite into the roles of Ezekiel, Shaolin Fantastic, Boo-Boo and Ra-Ra all have the distinction of being from such diverse backgrounds -- from performing in subways in the Bronx to the music scene of Atlanta and, of course, Los Angeles. I know they're collectively on the beginning of a thrilling journey with a big story to tell."