After 18 months and thousands of contenders, Jaalen Best faced one last test to play Muhammad Ali — and it went far beyond his skills in the ring.
ByBernadette Giacomazzo
November 4, 2026
Key Takeaways
- Lonnie Ali gave Jaalen Best the final blessing to play Muhammad Ali in Prime Video’s The Greatest, saying he has “a heart like Muhammad.”
- Best landed the role after an 18-month casting search involving thousands of actors, multiple auditions, and a physical evaluation.
- The eight-episode series premiered November 4, with executive producer Michael B. Jordan helping bring Ali’s transformation from Cassius Clay into a boxing champion and cultural icon to television.
Jaalen Best had already survived a year and a half of auditions and beaten out thousands of actors for the chance to play Muhammad Ali. But one person still stood between him and the role: Ali’s widow, Lonnie Ali.
The 28-year-old star of Prime Video’s The Greatest revealed that he needed her personal blessing before officially becoming the boxing legend onscreen. And when Lonnie finally delivered her verdict, she didn’t mince words: “He’s the one in more ways than you know.”
Best recalled the high-stakes casting process during an interview with People at the show’s October 27 New York City premiere. After making it through several rounds of auditions, he was summoned to showrunner Ben Watkins’ home for yet another test.
“It was crazy, but a very special opportunity,” Best said.
Then came the meeting that mattered most. “I had to meet Lonnie Ali as the last person to give me a blessing to play Muhammad Ali in this role.” Because Lonnie is also an executive producer on the series, her approval carried far more weight than the usual Hollywood casting decision.
And Lonnie knew exactly what she was looking for. It wasn’t enough to have Ali’s footwork, famous confidence, or ability to deliver a knockout line. She wanted someone who reminded her of the man she married.
“There was something about Jaalen that was instant,” she told People. “I knew, ‘This is the one. He’s Muhammad. He can play this. He’s believable.'”
But Best’s personality ultimately sealed the deal. “He has a heart like Muhammad,” Lonnie said, pointing to the small mannerisms and qualities that convinced her he could bring her late husband to life.
Watkins, meanwhile, wasn’t taking any chances with the casting. He revealed that the production spent 18 months considering thousands of actors before narrowing the field to four finalists. Best endured multiple auditions, meetings, and even a physical evaluation.
“Every single moment that he was tested, he rose to the occasion,” Watkins said.
Still, the showrunner knew the decision wasn’t his alone. After sending Best to Louisville to meet Lonnie, Watkins waited nervously in California for her response. Her text finally arrived with the same unmistakable endorsement Best would later recall.
The casting decision now anchors The Greatest, the eight-episode Prime Video series that Michael B. Jordan executive-produced through Outlier Society. Best portrays Ali during his transformation from Cassius Clay into a heavyweight champion and cultural icon.
The supporting cast includes Omari Hardwick and Dana Gourrier as Ali’s parents, Kai Parham as his brother Rahaman Ali, Giovanni Ribisi as trainer Angelo Dundee, Amin Joseph as Sonny Liston, and Michael Ealy as Malcolm X. The series explores the relationships, victories, and personal convictions that shaped Ali beyond his boxing career.
The Greatest premiered November 4 as the first authorized scripted television series about Ali, nearly a decade after his death in 2016.
