28 February 2020
Queen Sono: what to expect from Netflix’s first African original
Today, Netflix’s first all-African original series Queen Sono premieres in 190 countries around the globe. Journalists got to watch all six episodes of the show early, but there is a lot we’re not allowed to talk about just yet – including the most shocking and exciting moments in the series.
But suffice to say, there are plenty of very shocking and exciting moments, especially in the last two episodes of this slow burn.
Here are the things we can tell you.
The eponymous Queen Sono is played by Pearl Thusi, who announced her casting on Instagram last year. Queen is a kick-ass heroine, a tough spy, aka a field agent, of the Special Operations Group (SOG) where she is involved in covert operations while battling personal demons. Her job is a secret, though, because that’s the nature of the spy business.
Her civilian friends have no idea, and neither does her grandmother. “Are you a prostitute?” she asks, because of all the vague explanations of what Queen does for a living. Later, Queen explains that she “fights people who bother other people. I fight bullies.”
In the course of the season, Queen comes up against a shady private security company with questionable business practices, an organisation that claims to be fighting for the rights of the African people, corrupt politicians and a President who is referred to outright as an idiot, bribery, terrorism, double crossing and betrayals, secrets and lies, shootouts and fight scenes, and one heck of a ruthless villainess … all set up for a second season of revenge and vengeance.
“It was a real living experience of black excellence manifesting in front of my eyes.” – Rob van Vuuren
Created, written and directed by Kagiso Lediga (and also directed by Tebogo Malope), Queen Sono features 37 locations in and around Johannesburg (which makes a gritty change from the filmmakers’ darling Cape Town), as well as Nigeria, Kenya and Zanzibar, and uses dialogue in Xhosa and several other African languages, Russian, Afrikaans, Zulu and French, with English subtitles.
Veteran actor Rob van Vuuren plays a relatively small role in this predominantly black project, and says it was one of the highlights of his career.
“It was an incredible experience for me. Not only because it’s being part of a landmark moment in South African television but also because it felt like landmark cultural experience in South African television. It was a real living experience of black excellence manifesting in front of my eyes. I felt humbled and grateful to be part of that team. They really are incredible,” he says.
“Tebogo and Kags are two directors who are just at the top of their game. They ran not only a tight ship but a very relaxed ship – one of the most relaxed sets I’ve been on, which by no means indicates a lack of control. Quite the opposite,” he clarifies.
“The control they had over the project was so assuring for me as an actor, and their relaxed demeanour – because of how much they were in control of the work they’ve done and the level of expertise they have – makes you feel so at ease and free … the loveliest directors I think I will ever have the privilege of working with.
“And then the cast was just phenomenal,” continues Rob. “Pearl Thusi is an absolute powerhouse of a performer and she carries this whole series with consummate ease and grace. She is that perfect combination of talent and professionalism, hard work and faithfulness. She’s a huge star who is going to get bigger and bigger. It’s fun to watch her work and to be able to work with her.”
Rob says he’s really excited about how the world is going to receive Queen Sono because there are a lot of eyes globally on it.
“It’s a strong, powerful, exciting black female lead subverting so many notions about Africa and gender and the genre itself. I am stoked to be part of it and I cannot wait to see what the response will be.”
Us too, Rob. Us too.
