In this May 27, 2015 file photo, Laurence Fishburne arrives at the 2015 Television Academy Honors at The Montage Hotelin Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Rich FuryInvision/AP, File)
LOS ANGELES (AP) --
Laurence Fishburne is joining the "Roots" miniseries remake.
A&E Networks said Wednesday that Fishburne will play writer Alex Haley, whose novel about his African-American ancestry was the basis of the original TV miniseries.
The new project will draw on the late Haley's novel, "Roots: The Saga of an American Family," along with new research, A&E said. The 1977 ABC miniseries was a ratings sensation.
Fishburne is a Tony Award-winning stage actor ("Two Trains Running") and Oscar nominee ("What's Love Got to Do With It"). He's become a familiar presence on TV in series including "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," ''Hannibal" and ABC's comedy "black-ish."
No air date or other casting has been announced for the "Roots" remake that will debut simultaneously on the History, A&E and Lifetime channels.
Pepsi soft drinks in plastic bottles are on sale at a grocery store in New York on Weds., Nov. 15, 2023. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File)
PepsiCo confirmed Friday that it's ending some of its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, even as rival Coca-Cola voiced support for its own inclusion efforts.
In a memo sent to employees, PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta said the company will no longer set goals for minority representation in its managerial roles or supplier base. The company will also align its sponsorships to events and groups that promote business growth, he said.
Laguarta wrote that inclusion remains important to PepsiCo, whose brands include Gatorade, Lay's potato chips, Doritos, Mountain Dew as well as Pepsi. The Purchase, New York-based company's chief diversity officer will transition to a broader role focused on employee engagement, leadership development and ensuring an inclusive culture, he said.
Since President Donald Trump returned to the White House last month, U.S. government agencies, companies and schools have rushed to reevaluate policies and programs they adopted with the goal of reducing discrimination against members of minority groups, women and LGBTQ+ people.
Trump ended DEI programs within the federal government and has warned schools to end DEI programs or risk losing federal money.
PepsiCo's rollback came as Coca-Cola reaffirmed support for its DEI efforts.
In its annual report, Atlanta-based Coke warned that its business could be negatively affected if it is unable to attract employees that reflect its broad range of customers.
"Failure to maintain a corporate culture that fosters innovation, collaboration and inclusion … could disrupt our operations and adversely affect our business and our future success," the company said.
Coca-Cola has set a goal of having women in 50% of its senior leadership roles by... Read More
