Kumail Nanjiani Joins Ensemble Cast of Upcoming Netflix Special ‘Death to 2020’
- The mockumentary is about the state of the year 2020 highlighted by events of the COVID-19 pandemic, among other topics.
Kumail Nanjiani is among an ensemble cast to feature in the upcoming Netflix special “Death to 2020.” The Pakistani American comedian, actor, screenwriter, and podcaster joins Samuel L Jackson, Hugh Grant, Lisa Kudrow, among others in the mockumentary created by Charlie Brooker and Annabel Jones under their Broke and Bones production company. It will be produced by Alison Marlow with Brooker and Jones also serving as executive producers.
“Death to 2020” is intended to mock the state of the year 2020 highlighted by events of the COVID-19 pandemic, among other topics. Netflix says “the special intertwines together some of the world’s most (fictitious) well-known voices with real-life archival footage spanning the past 12 months.”
On Dec. 10, Nanjiani’s “Little America,” was listed as one of the best TV shows to watch by the Los Angeles Times. “Thanks to @latimes for including Little America on their list for best tv shows of 2020,” Nanjiani tweeted. “Watch it on @AppleTVPlus.”
The eight-episode anthology drama is based on the true stories of immigrants across America, from the Indian motel owner’s son to the Nigerian wannabe cowboy professor. Each story is a separate vignette that together weaves a bigger story of what it takes to come here from somewhere else. Entrepreneurs, dreamers and doers populate “Little America,” and each episode is written and directed by folks who represent different paths to the American dream. The series, created by Nanjiani, his wife Emily V. Gordon and Lee Eisenberg has been renewed for a second season.
On the film front, Nanjiani’s “The Lovebirds,” also starring Issa Rae released on Netflix on May 22, after Paramount Pictures decided not to go ahead with the April 3 release due to the coronavirus pandemic. The romantic comedy directed by Michael Showalter was scheduled to have its world premiere at the South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, in March.
Nanjiani’s much-anticipated Marvel film “The Eternals” has also been a victim of the lockdown. The film’s release date has been moved from Nov. 6 to Feb. 12, 2021. Directed by Chloé Zhao with a screenplay by Matthew and Ryan Firpo, “The Eternals” also stars Richard Madden, Lauren Ridloff, Brian Tyree Henry, Salma Hayek, Lia McHugh, Don Lee, Angelina Jolie, Barry Keoghan, Gemma Chan and Kit Harington.