Jaalen Best
Jaalen Best | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Best in 2026 | |
| Education | East Carolina University |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 2022-present |
Jaalen Best (born June 1, 1998)[citation needed] is an American actor. He has the lead role of Cassius Clay in upcoming biographical television series The Greatest.
Early life
From Clinton, North Carolina, Best initially wanted to be a professional basketball player. He attended East Carolina University, where he took acting classes in his junior year in 2019. He went on to portray Chief Powhatan in a stage production of Pocahontas in his hometown. After graduating, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career.
Career
He portrayed Ryan Craig on the CW’s All American: Homecoming. He also appeared in episodes of Magnum P.I. and American Horror Stories.
In 2024, he was cast to play Cassius Clay in The Greatest, an upcoming biopic of Muhammad Ali from Amazon Prime Video, with the series depicting from 1960 when Clay won the Olympic gold medal and ending in 1964 when became the world heavyweight champion for the first time. Filming took place in Canada from 2025, with broadcast scheduled for 2026. Best described the portrayal as “one of the most humbling, terrifying, exhilarating, inspiring all at once, all together situations for me". Speaking about the casting of Best, Ali's wife Lonnie Ali who was involved in the production said that Best had "to have the courage and the conviction, the heart. He's got to have the looks. All of it. Muhammad was pretty...[he] had to have 'the package' as they say. Because [Ali] did".
Filmography
| † | Denotes works that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | American Horror Stories | Hot Guy | 1 episode |
| 2023 | All American: Homecoming | Ryan Craig | 3 episodes |
| 2023 | Magnum P.I. | Teammate number 1 | 1 episode |
| 2026 | The Greatest† | Cassius Clay | Lead role |
References
- ↑ Thomas, Carly (30 October 2026). "Jaalen Best Wanted to Be a Pro Athlete. Now He's Playing 'The Greatest' Boxer Onscreen". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 30 October 2026.
- ↑ Jackson, Angelique (Feb 5, 2025). "M88 Signs 'The Greatest' Star Jaalen Best (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 5 February 2025.
- ↑ Thomas, Carly; Maglio, Tony (11 May 2026). "Muhammad Ali's Widow Touts Late Boxer's "Package" to Amazon Upfront Crowd". Hollywood Reporter.
- ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (11 July 2024). "Muhammad Ali Series 'The Greatest' Starring Jaalen Best Greenlighted By Prime Video From Michael B. Jordan & Ben Watkins". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 5 February 2025.
- ↑ Clarke, Stewart (14 July 2026). "'The Greatest' Showrunner Promises Muhammad Ali Drama Will Reveal What "Wasn't In Documentaries"". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 5 February 2025.
- ↑ Gittins, Susan (January 24, 2025). "Prime's THE GREATEST With Jaalen Best as Muhammad Ali Filming in Toronto This Spring". North Hollywood Buzz. Retrieved 5 February 2025.
- ↑ Fisher, Pete (1 May 2025). "Video – "The Greatest" Wraps Up Filming in Cobourg". Todaysnorthumberland. Retrieved 7 May 2025.
- ↑ "'The Greatest' teaser: Prime Video unveils first look at Muhammad Ali biopic series". Thehindu.com. 5 July 2026. Retrieved 5 July 2026.
- ↑ Lammers, Tim (14 June 2026). "'The Greatest' Showrunner Teases Something New For Muhammad Ali Series". Forbes.com. Retrieved 5 July 2026.
- ↑ Naugle, Wendy; Alexander, Bryan. "'Greatest' actor needed 'the package' to play Muhammad Ali, Lonnie Ali says". USA Today. Retrieved 5 July 2026.
External links
- Jaalen Best at IMDb