T.I., James Purefoy and Matthew Goode join 'Roots' ensemble

NEW YORK, Dec. 4 (UPI) -- Tip "T.I." Harris, Mekhi Phifer, James Purefoy and Matthew Goode have joined the ensemble of the miniseries Roots, A+E Networks announced.

Other cast additions to the four-night, eight-hour miniseries include Lane Garrison, Emayatzy Corinealdi and G. Hannelius.

To be simulcast on History, A&E and Lifetime, the program will star Forest Whitaker, Anna Paquin, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Anika Noni Rose, Laurence Fishburne, Chad L. Colman, Erica Tazel, Derek Luke, Malachi Kirby and Regé-Jean Page.

"Roots is a historical portrait of American slavery recounting the journey of one family and their will to survive, endure and ultimately carry on their legacy despite enormous hardship and inhumanity," a news release said. "Spanning multiple generations, the lineage begins with young Kunta Kinte, who is captured in his homeland of The Gambia and transported in brutal conditions to colonial America, where he's sold into slavery. Throughout the series, the family continues to face adversity while bearing witness and contributing to notable events in U.S. history, including the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, slave uprisings and eventual emancipation. The story of Kunta Kinte and the women and men who came after him echoes through the history of millions of Americans of African descent, and reveals powerful truths about the universal resilience of the human spirit."