Genius is an American anthology period drama television series developed by Noah Pink and Kenneth Biller which premiered on National Geographic. The first season, which aired between April and June 2017, followed the life of Albert Einstein, from his early years, through his time as a patent clerk, and into his later years as a physicist who developed the theory of relativity; the season is based on the 2007 book Einstein: His Life and Universe by Walter Isaacson. The second season, which aired between April and June 2018, followed the life and artistry of Pablo Picasso.
In April 2018, National Geographic renewed the series for a third season. The season was originally supposed to focus on Mary Shelley but this was moved to development to instead focus on Aretha Franklin. It aired in March 2021. In December 2020, the series was renewed for a fourth season, which is set to be released on Disney+. The fourth season is following the lives of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X and will premiere on February 1, 2024.
Cast and characters[]
Einstein[]
- Geoffrey Rush - Albert Einstein
- Johnny Flynn - young Albert Einstein
- Samantha Colley - Mileva Marić
- Nikki Hahn - young Mileva Marić
- Sally Dexter - elder Mileva Marić
- Richard Topol - Fritz Haber
- Michael McElhatton - Philipp Lenard
- Emily Watson - Elsa Einstein
- Gwendolyn Ellis - young Elsa Einstein
- Ralph Brown - Max Planck
- Robert Lindsay - Hermann Einstein
- Claire Rushbrook - Pauline Einstein
- Helen Monks - Maja Einstein
- Edward Akrout - Laurent Debienne
- Nicholas Rowe - Jost Winteler
- Lucy Russell - Pauline Winteler
- Shannon Tarbet - Marie Winteler
- Alicia von Rittberg - Anna Winteler
- George Webster - Julius Winteler
- Henry Goodman - Walther Rathenau
- Alistair Petrie - Heinrich Weber
- Jon Fletcher - Marcel Grossmann
- Seth Gabel - Michele Besso
- Nikola Đuričko - Leo Szilard
- David Dencik - Niels Bohr
- Adrian Lukis - Wilhelm Röntgen
- Predrag Bjelac - Miloš Marić
- Catherine McCormack - Marija Ružić–Marić
- Corrado Invernizzi - Pierre Curie
- Klára Issová - Marie Curie
- Charity Wakefield - Betty Neumann
- Ania Bukstein - Margarita Konenkova
- Jodhi May - Helen Dukas
- Zoe Telford - Clara Haber
- T. R. Knight - J. Edgar Hoover
- Vincent Kartheiser - Raymond H. Geist
- Silvina Buchbauer - Katharina Lenard
- Eugene Simon - Eduard Einstein
- Ed Stoppard - Hans Albert Einstein
- Joseph Arkley - David Bohm
Picasso[]
- Antonio Banderas - Pablo Picasso
- Alex Rich - young Pablo Picasso
- Alessio Scalzotto - 14-year-old Pablo Picasso
- Timothy Lyons - 9-year-old Pablo Picasso
- Clémence Poésy - Françoise Gilot
- Samantha Colley - Dora Maar
- Poppy Delevingne - Marie-Thérèse Walter
- Robert Sheehan - Carles Casagemas
- David Wilmot - José Ruiz y Blasco
- Jordi Mollà - Salvador Ruiz
- Edward Akrout - Laurent Debienne
- Charlie Carrick - Manuel Pallarès
- Sebastian Roché - Emile Gilot
- Adrian Schiller - Jaime Sabartés
- Will Keen - Paul Rosenberg
- Maria Jose Bavio - María Picasso y López
- Aisling Franciosi - Fernande Olivier
- Stéphane Caillard - Geneviève Aliquot
- Bruno Paviot - Marcel
- Elena Martinez - Dolores
- T. R. Knight - Max Jacob
- Seth Gabel - Guillaume Apollinaire
- Tracee Chimo - Gertrude Stein
- Johnny Flynn - Alain Cuny
- Kerr Logan - Georges Braque
- Tchéky Karyo - Henri Rousseau
- Jack Brett Anderson - Géry Pieret
- Eileen O'Higgins - Eva Gouel
- Gerran Howell - Karl-Heinz Wiegels
- Lucas Englander - Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler
- Simon Buret - Jean Cocteau
- Sofia Doniants - Olga Khokhlova
- Nicola Perot - Ubaldo Oppi
- Tom Cullen - Luc Simon
- Zachary Fall - Paulo Picasso
- Michael Gor - Sergei Diaghilev
- Margaux Chatelier - Geneviève Laporte
- Dimitri Leonidas - Kostas Axelos
- Ed Stoppard - Paul Éluard
- Vincent Londez - André Breton
- Valentina Bellè - Jacqueline Roque
- Emile Feltesse - Jean Renoir
- Sand Van Roy - Florelle
- Michael McElhatton - Jonas Salk
- Luis Soto - Eugenio Arias
- Andrew Buchan - Henri Matisse
Aretha[]
- Cynthia Erivo - Aretha Franklin
- Collete L. Coward - Aretha's Piano Hand double
- Shaian Jordan - Little Re (young Aretha)
- Bri'anna Harper - Little Re singing double
- Courtney B. Vance - C. L. Franklin
- David Cross - Jerry Wexler
- Malcolm Barrett - Ted White
- Patrice Covington -Erma Franklin
- Aubriana Davis - young Erma
- Kimberly Hébert Gregory - Ruth Bowen
- Rebecca Naomi Jones - Carolyn Franklin
- Sydney Hunter - young Carolyn
- Pauletta Washington - Rachel Franklin
- Steven G. Norfleet - Cecil Franklin
- Drake Strickland - young Cecil
- Tina Fears - Clara Ward
- Antonique Smith - Barbara Franklin
- Marque Richardson - King Curtis
- Braelyn Edwards - Clarence
- Tyler Richardson - Edward
- Omar J. Dorsey - James Cleveland
- Tip "T.I." Harris - Ken Cunningham
- Jerren Jackson - Little Teddy
- Willie Repoley - Tom Dowd
- Luke James - Glynn Turman
MLK/X[]
- Kelvin Harrison Jr. - Martin Luther King Jr.
- Jalyn Hall - young Martin Luther King Jr.
- Aaron Pierre - Malcolm X
- Weruche Opia - Coretta Scott King
- Jayme Lawson - Betty Shabazz
- Ron Cephas Jones - Elijah Muhammad
- Gary Carr - Clyde X
- Hubert Point-Du Jour - Ralph Abernathy
- Lennie James - Martin Luther King Sr.
- LisaGay Hamilton - Alberta Williams King
- Ashley Romans - Ella Mae
- Donal Logue - Strom Thurmond
- Griffin Matthews - Bayard Hustin
International broadcast[]
| Country | Network(s) | Local title |
|---|---|---|
| United States | National Geographic, Disney+ | Genius |
| Worldwide | National Geographic, Disney+ | |
| Germany | Fox Channel | |
| Czech Republic | National Geographic, ČT2 | Génius |
| Slovakia | Dvojka | |
| Bulgaria | National Geographic | Геният |
| Canada (French) | Ici ARTV, Ici TOU.TV | Génie |
| Hong Kong | TVB Pearl | 一代天才 |
| Hungary | Fox, National Geographic | Géniusz |
| Japan | National Geographic, Disney+ | ジーニアス |
| Russia | National Geographic | Гений |
| Taiwan | National Geographic | 世紀天才 |