Genius Stars Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Aaron Pierre on Playing MLK and Malcolm X This Black History Month (Exclusive)

Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Aaron Pierre pay tribute to two of history’s most important black pioneers — bringing them to life on screen.

National Geographic Genius: MLK/X, which begins airing its final season just in time for Black History Month, continues the anthology series featuring historical icons. Harrison Jr. plays Martin Luther King Jr. and Pierre plays Malcolm X, following acclaimed performances by Geoffrey Rush as Albert Einstein, Antonio Banderas as Pablo Picasso and Cynthia Erivo as Aretha Franklin in previous seasons.

The actors, both 29, speak to PEOPLE exclusively about researching, transforming and portraying the legacy of the civil rights activists — whose paths crossed only once in 1964, but nonetheless shared a vision of black liberation in America. (A brief meeting between Dr. King and Malcolm X serves as the opening scene Genius: MLK/X.)

“The legacy of Malcolm X, his power, it resonated all the way to where I grew up and beyond,” says London-born Pierre, who adds that he felt “terribly nervous” after being offered the role. Malcolm X (born Malcolm Little) was born in Nebraska and became an influential advocate for black empowerment and the Nation of Islam until his assassination at the age of 39 in New York in 1965.

“I understood the weight of this story. I realized the enormous responsibility of trying to portray this man’s life and his legacy and what he means to so many people around the world… the enormous impact he had on the black diaspora.”

dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X’s ‘Dueling Philosophies’ spotlighted by NatGeo Genius: First Look

Natasha Campos/Getty

For Harrison Jr., playing Dr. King — from the leader’s early days as a church pastor to his 1968 assassination in Tennessee — was something of a logical next step after bringing other black pioneers to the screen, including activist Fred Hampton in Trial of Chicago 7big blues BB King in Elvis and, in an upcoming project, the artist Jean-Michel Basquiat.

“But this time,” the Louisiana-born actor tells PEOPLE, “I had to put a little more of my research cap on and start just looking for more nuance and try to figure out who this man is. ”

Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X ‘Keep ’em Guessing’ in the big first trailer for the latest season Genius

Both actors say their priority was to embody Dr. King and Malcolm X internally, rather than trying to emulate the physical qualities of the figures. “A lot of actors fall into a trap” with biopics, Harrison Jr. says, believing they have to “be as precise as possible about that impersonation…. The voice, the look and the mannerisms. [being] right, that doesn’t always tell the story.”

MLK/X the audience does not watch a documentary, he adds. “I won’t be Dr. Martin Luther King. That doesn’t happen. But what I can do is honor the things that he loved, honor the things that inspired him and that he was passionate about, find the connection between me and let that drive the story.”

Martin Luther King, Jr., 1966.

Bettmann Archive

Genius: MLK/X Star Kelvin Harrison Jr. was ‘shocked’ to discover MLK’s real name: ‘Pretty cool’

Pierre says it’s important to keep the memory of these people alive — and now is the perfect time to learn more about their legacy. “In the United Kingdom [Black History Month] is in October”, he notes. “And of course, in the US it’s in February. We have these special months of the year that are, for lack of a better word, designated to celebrate and champion our contribution and our history.”

But, he adds, “as a black man, I always celebrate and stand up for my heritage, the contributions that my community and diaspora have made to this world. And I think that this project that is coming out at this time is very special. We’re all very excited for the world to have a chance to participate in this because we got involved in this. We look forward to people connecting with it.”

Genius, and especially its new season, is about “articulating what it means to be a genius and making it easier for all of us to see our own personal genius,” Harrison Jr. says. “We can respect those icons, but we don’t have to put them on a pedestal because they’re above us. We all have that potential inside of us. We can all achieve these incredible great things.”

That’s what’s inspiring Harrison Jr. this Black History Month, he says. “These amazing, young black men who just found a real sense of their identity and were fearless in sharing that with everybody, that’s what I want to be. It excites me and fires me up every day. That’s why I tell stories.”

Black History Month Explained: Who Started It, Why It’s in February, and More Facts You Should Know

Malcolm X.

Robert Parent/Getty

Next – for both MLK/X lead — is Barry Jenkins’ Mufasa: The Lion King (in theaters Dec. 20), in which Pierre voices the title role and Harrison Jr. Taka aka Scar. “Kelvin is one of my dearest friends, I love him very much and we spend such a special time working on it,” says Pierre with a smile.

With the note that it is “so funny” the animated predecessor is released in the same year MLK/X, Harrison Jr. adds that Pierre is “the perfect young James Earl Jones. He sings in it and sounds amazing in it … it made me a little jealous.”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Genius: MLK/X — starring Weruche Opia as Coretta Scott King and Jayme Lawson as Betty Shabazz alongside Gary Carr, Hubert Point-Du Jour and the late Ron Cephas Jones — premiering Thursday at 9pm on National Geographic.

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education