"It was my dream to be in this industry."
The Greatest show on Prime Video not only “floats like a butterfly”, but it “stings like a bee” as well. This dramatic series depicts Muhammad Ali’s journey and his struggles as he rises to the top in the boxing ring. Viewers will see his humble beginnings, triumphant wins and his conversion to Islam over the course of eight episodes.
Streaming in November, the limited series was created by Ben Watkins, known for several Amazon Prime Video series, Hand of God and Cross. The project was in collaboration with Ali’s estate and many executive producers, including his wife Lonnie Ali, Michael B. Jordan, and Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter.
Jaalen Best stars as the iconic Cassius Clay/Muhammad Ali and Kai Parham portrays his brother Rudy Clay/Rahaman Ali in the first authorized scripted series about the champion’s life.
The dynamic duo met up to talk about The Greatest in Chicago recently before a screening.
JN: (Jerry Nunn) How were you both cast in The Greatest?
KP: (Kai Parham) It was a long audition process. The email came from my casting agent and they were looking for someone to be a part of the project. I had to come in many times to audition and that is where I met Jaalen.
JN: How was your chemistry created?
JB: (Jaalen Best) It was during the audition when we started together. This was two years ago. Once I was cast in the role, he was considered for the brother. We have been in the same space and around each other for a long time.
JN: Does it feel good to have the project out in the world now?
JB: It felt like the greatest secret of all time. We couldn’t tell anyone about it, even our immediate family. When we eventually started telling everyone, it was like crying wolf. No one would believe us.
Now that it is out people can share the enamored feelings I have about the Cassius Clay that I have.
JN: Did you feel a lot of pressure to play him correctly?
JB: Yes, that came with it, but I was surprised how that pressure went away after we started filming the series. I was able to trust myself as an actor and all of the things I have learned paid off.
JN: Was the series filmed in Canada?
KP: Yes, shout out to Toronto.
JN: What was a difficult scene for you in the series?
KP: The domestic abuse in the kitchen was hard to shoot. That is a reality for a lot of people. Pulling from that made it hard to pretend and it was a hard day for all of us, truly.
We wanted to tell that story but also respect the story.
JB: For me, it was the early stages. I hadn’t been on camera to this level before. On the first day, when they said action I had to trust my instincts. I experienced the pace and did take after take to find the best one. That was the most challenging aspect for me. It got better over time with practice.
JN: Were producers Lonnie Ali and Michael B. Jordan heavily involved on the set?
JB: Both of them had a fair share in the project to bring it to life. Mike was a mentor for me and is still someone I talk with to this day. He was fully supportive of me in this role. I am very blessed to have someone like that.
For years, I had wanted to meet him before this role. It was my dream to be in this industry. Only a couple of months later, I got to meet him and that was a dream come true.
Lonnie was on set often in Toronto and she traveled to be there. I watched her react on the monitor and her reactions were reassuring. It was refreshing to hear her say, “He was just like that!”
JN: So you could ask her opinion right there on the set?
JB: Yes. As an actor, I could rely on my instincts to lead the way in becoming Ali, but it was an asset to have her around.
JN: Why should people watch this show?
KP: A common response from people so far has been that after watching it, the show inspires them to follow their dreams. People should watch it for an extra spark to get them to the next thing to conquer or achieve.
JB: This show is something special because there are stories in it that people haven’t heard before. The younger generation gets to see the life of Muhammad Ali away from boxing. He was a son and brother. He was an activist for everyone and brought his community together. If he were alive today, I believe he would still try to unite everyone while spreading love and kindness.
The Greatest is an opportunity to see how he truly was. He would say, “Get to the fight early because I might get him in one round.” In this case, there are eight episodes to see, so get to the show early.
JN: The cinematography is beautiful and captivating in The Greatest. Did you have any idea it would turn out so well?
KP: We didn’t see anything when we shot the scenes. We were not allowed to watch the playback and that’s because our showrunner, Ben Watkins, knew that if we watched it, then we would stop trusting our instincts. We would be too critical of ourselves.
We are just now seeing it for the first time and we are seeing how people respond to it.
JB: It is like our little baby and now we get to watch it for a complete experience.
JN: What is the overall arc of the show this season?
JB: The first season is from 1960 until 1964. People will see him as a kid facing the world and he wins an Olympic gold medal in Rome. He is on a high and he has a golden ticket to everything until he realizes the things he hopes to achieve aren’t what they seem. There are many hurdles to overcome before finding a sweet spot in life.
That’s only the beginning of the trajectory in this series before he becomes the person we know him to be as Muhammad Ali.
JN: Lore says he tossed the medal or possibly lost the medal. What is the truth?
JB: People will have to watch the series to find out.
JN: Will there be a season two?
JB: We are hoping that there will be a season two. If there is, then we will be glad to reprise our roles. They couldn’t find a better person to play Ali…
JN: Is calling himself “the greatest” really just a fake it before you make it mantra?
JB: It is like anything where you practice and put in the work. You can say what you think you are and hopefully the world will see it. I can’t control what the world sees and I think that’s Mahammad Ali’s mentality as well. I know my worth and so did he.
JN: Don’t you love his confidence, Kai?
KP: There are days that I try to hate him, but I can’t! [laughs]
JN: The Greatest is a big opportunity for you both after performing in theater, although I saw on Jaalen’s resume that you played Hot Guy on American Horror Stories.
JB: That experience was phenomenal. I wanted to meet Ryan Murphy, but I didn’t. That was my first thing that introduced me to the industry, so I learned about being on the set and where the camera was at all times.
KP: For Colin in Black & White I was Handsome Black Senior. I played a bully for the Colin Kaepernick project on Netflix. Later in life, I learned that Jaalen was a part of that project as well.
JB: I played a sports double.
KP: We were bound to meet eventually.
JB: It is so crazy that we are here now on this show.
JN: There is the lesson: be nice to people because you never know what the future holds.
JB: Like Muhammad said, “Be nice to people on your way up, because you’ll meet the same people on your way down.”
JN: Those are wise words. What advice would you give actors trying to get a break like this one?
KP: Lean in on understanding the craft and what your personal approach is. There is not just one equation that equals success or that will catapult someone to a booking. Everyone’s journey is extremely different and it’s not linear. Actors should embrace that.
If actors have a dream of being onstage or on television, then they should learn what works best for them.
JB: I got this role where I started the audition process at age 24 and I am 28 now. I was only acting for two years before that. I don’t always know if I am fit to give advice yet, but one of the lessons I have learned is to be adaptable. I learned that from coaches in sports.
When someone gets their breakout role, they should continue learning the craft. The homework never stops!
Look for The Greatest to stream on Prime Video on November 4, 2026.
