Orlando Jones Joins American Gods

BEVERLY HILLS: Orlando Jones (Madiba, Sleepy Hollow) has signed on for the upcoming adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s acclaimed contemporary fantasy novel American Gods.

Jones will play Mr. Nancy, an old African trickster god more commonly known as Anansi, and one of Mr. Wednesday’s (Ian McShane) oldest confidantes. Nancy is desperate to light a fire and watch the whole world burn.

Demore Barnes (12 Monkeys) has also been added to the cast, as Mr. Ibis, the keeper of stories, past and present. Ibis’s old-fashioned sensibilities do not preclude a wry wit.

Jones and Barnes join previously announced stars Ricky Whittle (Shadow Moon), Ian McShane (Mr. Wednesday), Emily Browning (Laura Moon), Pablo Schreiber (Mad Sweeney), Yetide Badaki (Bilquis), Bruce Langley (Technical Boy), Crispin Glover (Mr. World), Jonathan Tucker (Low Key Lyesmith), Gillian Anderson (Media), Peter Stormare (Czernobog) and Cloris Leachman (Zorya Vechernyaya).

American Gods is produced by FremantleMedia North America. Starz retains all network pay-TV and SVOD rights to the project. FremantleMedia is distributing the series worldwide.