#Bae: Why Malachi Kirby Is Our Newest Crush
The British Roots star is the next big thing.
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The Newest 'It' Boy - Thanks to the remake of Roots, British actor Malachi Kirby is about to become a household name — and with good reason. Not only is he stunningly beautiful, his portrayal of Kunta Kinte took our breath away! Here are all the reasons why Kirby is our new Bae. By Kellee Terrell(Photo: Anthony Harvey/Getty Images)
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He’s Super Fine - Look: With his smooth, dark-chocolate skin, infectious smile and twinkling and telling eyes, Kirby’s beauty gives us life! Not to mention, the 26-year-old’s body is everything. Look at his body glistening in that water! (Photo: Casey Crafford/History Channel)
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His Acting Chops Are Out Of This World - Best known for the UK’s Eastenders and Doctor Who, the London-born Jamaican actor absolutely blew us away in episode 1 as Kunta Kinte. He embodied strength, vulnerability and passion. He was so dedicated to his craft that while shooting the infamous whipping scene, he passed out from being overwhelmed with emotion. (Photo: Paul Morigi/Getty Images for History)
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That Accent Tho? - Like Idris Elba, Kirby’s real life British accent makes our loins ache. What is it about a Black man with an accent? Hear his voice in this History Channel interview.(Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)
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He’s Incredibly Humble - The actor recently told The Root that taking on this iconic role was exciting, but terrifying. “It felt like it was a big responsibility… I was scared. I’m still scared. I felt the weight of the responsibility in telling the truth of this story because there’s a lot of people that need to hear it,” he said. (Photo: Nick Harvey/WireImage)
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Roots Helped Him Understand His Own Identity - When Kirby was growing up, kids teased him calling him “Kunta Kinte” because of his dark skin, which made him not want to identify with Africa at all. But after his mother bought him the original series four years ago, he started to see that being African is something to be proud of. #Swoon. (Photo: Casey Crafford/History Channel)
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Prayer Is Important to Him - Kirby told NBC News that given how emotional this role is, prayer helped. “There was information that I needed that I didn't have access to and I just believe that God does. So I asked him to help every single day. On the set I got down on my knees, prayed, and asked God to help me to tell the truth.” Praise!(Photo: Jon Furniss /Corbis/Splash News)