NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TAPS ANGELA BASSETT TO NARRATE STUNNING NATURAL HISTORY SPECIAL "THE FLOOD"

Golden Globe-winning and Academy Award-nominated Bassett ('Black Panther') to Voice the Compelling Story of the Circle of Life in Africa's Okavango Delta Wilderness

The Flood Premieres Sunday, November 25 at 8/7c on National Geographic

(WASHINGTON, D.C. - OCT. 15, 2018) National Geographic announced today that Golden Globe-winning and Academy Award-nominated actress Angela Bassett will narrate its stunning two-hour wildlife documentary special The Flood, which premieres Sunday, Nov. 25 at 8/7c on National Geographic. Set in the heart of Africa's Okavango Delta wilderness, The Flood tells an enchanting story of life around a wild paradise like no other on earth.

Surrounded by the unforgiving Kalahari Desert, the Okavango Delta is a lush, vibrant oasis that pulses with life each year as the great flood rejuvenates the land with the return of water. Witness how incredible animals - like leopards, elephants, lions, hippos and more - adapt to this unpredictable and changing landscape. When the lands are flooded, the Okavango Delta is both a sanctuary and a trap, giving and taking life in equal measure. Then, like a living, breathing ecosystem, the waters soon recede and life becomes about one thing - survival. The fate of the tens of thousands of animals that live in this place of spectacular natural drama is at stake.

The Flood will premiere globally on National Geographic and/or Nat Geo WILD in 172 countries and 43 languages. For more information, visit www.natgeotvpressroom.com, or follow us on Twitter using @NGC_PR.

"I am thrilled to be teaming up with National Geographic on this beautiful celebration of one of the planet's last great wildernesses," said Bassett. "I found the stories of these resilient, beautiful animals so fascinating and relatable. I hope that viewers are drawn into this rarely seen kingdom in a way that inspires them to help protect it for years to come."

"At its core, The Flood is a love letter to the incredible animals in this untouched wildlife paradise, and I can think of no one better suited to help us tell this story than the incomparable Angela Bassett," said Geoff Daniels, executive vice president and general manager of Nat Geo WILD. "Her distinctive, confident and energetic voice elevates this narrative and makes you feel as if it's Mother Nature telling the story herself. We are truly honored to have partnered with her on this special."

The Flood is produced by Icon Films in association with Natural History Film Unit Botswana for National Geographic. Icon Films executive producers are Harry Marshall and Laura Marshall. Natural History Film Unit Botswana producer is Brad Bestelink. For National Geographic, executive producer and senior vice president of development and production is Janet Han Vissering and executive vice president and general manager is Geoff Daniels.

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About Angela Bassett

Angela Bassett is a Golden Globe winning and Academy Award nominated actress, as well as a Directors Guild of America nominated director. Angela recently starred in Ryan Coogler's highly acclaimed BLACK PANTHER with Chadwick Boseman, Sterling K. Brown, and Lupita Nyong'o; and in MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE-FALLOUT with Tom Cruise. She also executive produces and stars in 9-1-1, Ryan Murphy's newest hit series for Fox; and showcased her directing talents in AMERICAN HORROR STORY: CULT. Last season, Angela received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her performance in Netflix's hit series MASTER OF NONE opposite Lena Waithe. She also joined the directing team of FX's AMERICAN HORROR STORY: ROANOKE while simultaneously appearing as a member of the all-star cast. Previously, she appeared as Ramona Royale in AMERICAN HORROR STORY: HOTEL alongside Lady Gaga, Sarah Paulson, and Matt Bomer. She received Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries for her work as Marie Laveau in AMERICAN HORROR STORY: COVEN, as well as for her work as Desiree Dupree in the carnival themed AMERICAN HORROR STORY: FREAK SHOW. Angela will next star in BUMBLEBEE alongside Hailee Steinfield and Justin Theroux as the Decepticon, Shatter, in theaters this December.

About National Geographic Partners LLC

National Geographic Partners LLC (NGP), a joint venture between National Geographic and 21st Century Fox, is committed to bringing the world premium science, adventure and exploration content across an unrivaled portfolio of media assets. NGP combines the global National Geographic television channels (National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo MUNDO, Nat Geo PEOPLE) with National Geographic's media and consumer-oriented assets, including National Geographic magazines; National Geographic studios; related digital and social media platforms; books; maps; children's media; and ancillary activities that include travel, global experiences and events, archival sales, licensing and e-commerce businesses. Furthering knowledge and understanding of our world has been the core purpose of National Geographic for 129 years, and now we are committed to going deeper, pushing boundaries, going further for our consumers ... and reaching millions of people around the world in 172 countries and 43 languages every month as we do it. NGP returns 27 percent of our proceeds to the nonprofit National Geographic Society to fund work in the areas of science, exploration, conservation and education. For more information visit natgeotv.com or nationalgeographic.com, or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, YouTube, LinkedIn and Pinterest.

About Icon Films

Icon Films has a reputation for originality, excellence and entertainment across the breadth of factual genres including science, history, exploration and natural history; having produced over 400 hours of factual programming over 27 years for UK and international broadcasters. Headquartered in Bristol, the UK's capital of natural history TV production, Icon Films creates award-winning programming for broadcasters including the BBC, Channel 4, Channel 5, ITV, National Geographic, Discovery Networks, Arte and PBS. The company is listed in Realscreen's Global 100 top independent production companies as voted for by broadcasters, producers and distributors in the global non-fiction content industry. Icon Films has been repeatedly named in Broadcast's annual Best Places to Work in TV list and has been listed in the Top Independent and True Indies table in both Broadcast and Televisual Indie surveys.River Monsters, Icon Films' hit series for Animal Planet US is the best performing series in the network's history. Presented by angling explorer Jeremy Wade, the series closed its final (ninth) season in the UK in 2018. Other recent Icon Films productions include Jeremy Wade's Mighty Rivers (6 x 60 Animal Planet US), Savage Kingdom: Uprising (4 x 60 Nat Geo WILD), Philip Larkin by Andrew Motion (1 x 60 Sky Arts), Andrew Marr: My Brain and Me (1 x 60 BBC), Restless Leg Syndrome: Desperate for Help (1 x 60 Channel 5), Clash of Africa's Giant Killers (1 x 120 BBC, Animal Planet), Africa's Fishing Leopards (1 x 60 BBC, Nat Geo WILD US), Great Hammerhead Invasion (1 x 60 Shark Week special for Discovery Channel), Primal Survivor (8 x 60 and 7 x 60 National Geographic Channels). Icon Films' senior management team includes: Creative Director Harry Marshall, Managing Director Laura Marshall, Director of Production Andie Clare, Commercial Director Lucy Middelboe and Head of Factual, Stephen McQuillan. www.iconfilms.co.uk

About Natural History Film Unit

The Natural History Film Unit (NHFU) is an independent production company founded in Botswana by Brad Bestelink and Andy Crawford in 2010. It is recognised for its unique and intimate approach towards wildlife filmmaking and has won a number of international awards, including Best Documentary Feature, Best Natural History Film, Best Story, Animal Behaviour and Cinematography. Brad Bestelink and the NHFU team specialise in capturing previously unseen animal behaviour focusing specifically on Africa's predators. The NHFU has contributed to more than 75 hours of commissioned natural history programming for a multitude of broadcasters including National Geographic, BBC, Discovery, NHK Japan, Channel 4 France and ZDF. www.naturalhistoryfilmunit.com