SA actress Pearl Thusi set to sizzle as a spy in ‘Queen Sono’ Netflix series
2020 marks another leap year on our calendar, but there’s much more reason to get excited about February than the extra day on the 29th.
The end of the month also marks a historical event on the entertainment scene. Queen Sono, Netflix’s first original African series will be released on 28 February 2020. This will mark the day that viewers will be able to indulge in this gripping spy series, starring South African actress Pearl Thusi.
Thusi’s career credits include playing the role of Patricia Kopong in the BBC/HBO series, The No 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, the character of Dayana Mampasi in the ABC thriller Quantico, and then Samkelo in the 2017 romantic film Catching Feelings.
First season shot across Africa
Now, Thusi is the lead in Queen Sono. Running at six episodes, the first season of the show was shot in 37 different locations across Africa, including the Johannesburg CBD, Sandton, Johannesburg Park Station, Soweto, Lagos, Kenya, and Zanzibar.
In the crime drama web television series, Thusi is Queen Sono – a woman who loses her mother at a young age and then grows up to become an unconventional spy devoted to protecting the people of Africa.
Alongside her professional work, Sono deals with the shocking discovery of the details around her mother’s death, which was an assassination. She goes on a truth-finding mission that tests her mentally and physically.
‘Queen Sono’ marks a first for Africa
According to Netflix, Queen Sono is their first script-to-screen, fully produced African original series with an all African cast and crew. Because of Queen Sono’s work and travels, viewers will hear a diverse set of languages throughout the series, including English, Afrikaans, isiXhosa, isiZulu, Russian and French.
The cast of Queen Sono include some of South Africa’s top acting talent. It also stars Vuyo Dabula playing Shandu, an ex-spy who has taken a different path. Sechaba Morojele plays Dr Sid, director of the SOG, with Chi Mhende, Loyiso Madinga, and Rob van Vuuren, playing agents on his team.
Watch the trailer here:
Kate Liquorish plays Ekaterina, heiress of an oligarch family with ulterior motives. Khathu Ramabulana plays Queen Sono’s childhood friend, William, now in a relationship with Enhle Mbali Mlotshwa’s character, Nova. Abigail Kubeka plays Mazet, Queen’s beloved Gogo, who has always supported Queen – no matter the trouble she gets herself into.
On the production side, the series was created by Kagiso Lediga who was named one of Fast Company’s Most Creative People in 2019. Lediga also directs three episodes with the other three being directed by Cannes Lions and South African Film and Television Awards (Safta) winner Tebogo Malope.
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