Haitian-born actor and former model, Jimmy Jean-Louis has singed on to narrate the first installation, “I Sing of A Well,” of the slave trade trilogy “Legions of Slaves.”

Jimmy Jean-Louis

“It is absolutely great to have Jimmy narrate the film,” said Leila Djansi, the film’s director. “Ghanaians love him and they love ‘Heroes‘ so, to have such a prominent character grace their movie is pride indeed.”

Jean-Louis, is best know for his role as The Haitian on NBC’s hit drama “Heroes.” His big screen break happened when he nabbed a role in Jean Claude Van Damme’s “Derailed”. He went on to play the supporting role of Gideon in “Tears of Sun” starring Bruce Willis and Monica Bellucci and directed by Antoine Fuqua. Jean-Louis shared the big screen with Jane Fonda and Jennifer Lopez in New Line Cinema’s “Monster-In-Law” in 2005. In 2006, he landed the role of the leading man and love interest of actress and comedian Monique in the romantic comedy “Phat Girlz” . Jean-Louis has also made appearances in hit television shows including F/X’s ‘The Shield,’ HBO’s “Arli$$,” CBS’s “The District,” and Fox’s “Fastlane.”

Djansi, known for including American actors in her films, feels Jean-Louis will bring a wide range of appeal and help market the film because he appeals to such a broad range of people across the world. She explains, “I was not going for an American-born actor [but] rather a well known actor who has done significant work in Hollywood. Looking at his body of work, Jimmy will bring a whole lot to the table when it comes to audience appeal. He has the voice and the accent that cuts well for this type of movie.”

“I Sing of A Well” is set in the ancient Ghana Empire, in the time of the Mali kingdom under King Mansa Musa’s rule. Prince Wenambe (John Osei Tutu Agyeman) wins the throne from his father when he hands over the kingdom to Mansa Musa for protection from slave raiders. Basking in his glory as King, he seeks tirelessly after the beautiful Soraya (Akofa E Asiedu) who is betrothed to another, Dume (Godwin Kotey), but his glory is short lived as Mansa Musa himself becomes a slave raider.

The narrative feature is jointly produced by Turning Point Pictures and Calabash Images and is expected to strike controversy as it fuses history with drama through exploring Africans as slave traders before the emergence of the trans-African slave trade which involved other races.

The three-year project will have special screenings in Ghana and Nigeria at the end of October 2009, followed by screening on the festival circuit. Distributed by Cinema Librè, in Winter 2010, a theatrical release in select United States cities will be followed by a worldwide release.The Grand Premiere in Ghana will take place at the National Theatre on October 31.