The Lifetime movie Showing Roots is set in 1977, when the TV mini-series Roots was broadcast of national TV. In Showing Roots, two young women (one white, Violet; one black, Pearl played by Uzo Aduba) who work together at a beauty parlor are inspired to integrate their small Southern town after watching Roots, which was based on the Alex Haley novel. Their new business — a beauty shop that serves both white and black customers — is not received well by many in town.
Violet is portrayed by Maggie Grace. She’s known for her roles as Kim Mills in the Taken films and as Irina in The Twilight Saga films. Grace is also recognized for her TV roles on Masters of Sex (Dr. Christine Wesh), When Calls the Heart (Aunt Elizabeth), Californication (Faith), and Lost (Shannon Rutherford), among others. Showing Roots will premiere on Lifetime on Thursday, May 26 at 10pm.
— A remake of Roots starring Forest Whitaker, Laurence Fishburne, and Anna Paquin, will air on The History Channel on Monday, May 30 at 9pm. See trailer below.
