Showing posts with label Tamsin Andersson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tamsin Andersson. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 28, 2020
Netflix's first South African drama series Queen Sono produced by Diprente renewed for a second season.
by Thinus Ferreira
Netflix has renewed its South African drama series Queen Sono for a second season.
Headlined by Pearl Thusi and produced by Diprente in Johannesburg, South Africa with showrunner and director Kagiso Lediga, the 6-episode trope-filled spy drama tale made its debut at the end of February 2020 to mostly lukewarm reviews.
Diprente will continue to produce the second season of Queen Sono with the cast who have not yet been signed but according to Netflix are all expected to return, including Pearl Thusi, Vuyo Dabula, Sechaba Morojele, Chi Mhende, Loyiso Madinga, Rob van Vuuren, Kate Liquorish, Khathu Ramabulana and Enhle Mbali Mlotshwa.
Production is expected to start later in 2020 once more clarity exists over TV and film production given the multiple national lockdown periods in effect in South Africa and across sub-Saharan Africa because of the global Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic.
Queen Sono's second season renewal is the first African Netflix production renewal handed out under Dorothy Ghettuba who took up the position to head up the commissioning of Netflix's African originals in mid-2019 and is tasked to expand Netflix's content slate from the African continent from Amsterdam in the Netherlands.
"The first season of Queen Sono marked the beginning of our journey to introduce the world to exciting stories that are made in Africa. It was an unprecedented representation of a strong female black lead in African television," says Dorothy Ghettuba in a prepared statement issued on Tuesday announcing the second season renewal.
"Kagiso Lediga and the Diprente team delivered a compelling story that resonated with our viewers and we can’t wait to see what they have in store for Queen Sono in this coming season."
Kagiso Lediga in the press release says "I am so excited by the appetite for African stories and that Netflix is continuing to partner with us to bring to life the next chapter of Queen’s story and showcase it to the world".
Tamsin Andersson, executive producer, in the statement says "We are thrilled to continue our production of Queen Sono season 2 with Netflix. The hard work from season 1 paid off and we're excited that the brand is investing further in the growth of our local production team."
ALSO READ: REVIEW. The flawed Queen Sono's first season on Netflix is an unremarkable, uneven and missable spy trope-filled tale.
Monday, June 10, 2019
Filming starts on Netflix's first South African Netflix Original drama series, Queen Sono; cast and directors announced.
Filming has started in Johannesburg, South Africa on Queen Sono, Netflix's first commissioned Netflix Original series for Africa with the 6-episode spy drama, produced by Diprente, that will likely be released globally on Netflix during 2020.
Rounding out the Queen Sono ensemble cast beyond the already-announced Pearl Thusi are Vuyo Dabula, Enhle Maphumulo, Kate Liquorish, Loyiso Madinga, Sechaba Morojele, Chi Mhende, Rob Van Vuuren, Khathu Ramabulana, Abigail Kubekha, Otto Nobela, Connie Chiume and James Ngcobo.
Pearl Thusi portrays an unconventional spy "working for an undercover South African agency devoted to protecting the people of Africa".
Vuyo Dabula from Generations: The Legacy fame plays Shandu, an ex-spy who has taken a different path, while Sechaba Morojele who starred in Yizo Yizo, Rhythm City and Hard Copy will be seen as Dr Sid, director of the SOG.
Chi Mhende (also previously from Generations: The Legacy), Loyiso Madinga of The Bantu Hour, and comedian Rob Van Vuuren are agents on his team.
Kate Liquorish of The Bantu Hour plays Ekaterina, the heiress of an oligarch family with ulterior motives, while Khathu Ramabulana of Scandal! and Generations plays Queen’s childhood friend, William, now in a relationship with Nova, played by Enhle Maphumulo who previously appeared in Scandal!, Broken Vows and Rockville.
Abigail Kubekha will appear in Queen Sono as Mazet, Queen's beloved Gogo, who has always supported her irrespective of the trouble she might find herself in.
Tamsin Andersson is the executive producer with directors Tebogo Malope and Kagiso Lediga who will both be directing three episodes of Queen Sono each.
While Netflix had the debut of Shadow in March this year, Netflix didn't commission the series but merely acquired the rights to it, making Queen Sono its first real South African produced Netflix Original show.
Netflix has since commissioned another drama series, Blood & Water as a high school set series produced by Gambit Films; as well as an animation series, Mama K's Team 4 produced by Triggerfish Animation Studios and CAKE.
Monday, December 10, 2018
Netflix commissions Queen Sono as its first African original drama and spy series with Pearl Thusi.
Netflix has commissioned its first African original drama, Queen Sono, a spy series with Pearl Thusi cast as the title character.
Queen Sono, filmed in South Africa, will be produced in 2019 and become available on Netflix later next year.
Queen Sono will revolve around a "highly trained, top spy in a South African agency", with the series following her most dangerous missions while the relationships in her personal life comes under strain and change.
Although a drama series, Queen Sono will contain some humouristic elements as well and will be produced by the Johannesburg-based Diprente production company.
The South African comedian Kagiso Lediga is the director, with Tamsin Andersson as co-executive producer together with Kagiso Lediga, and both who created Queen Sono.
"We are excited to be working with Kagiso Lediga and Pearl Thusi to bring the story of Queen Sono to life, and we expect it to be embraced by our South African users and global audiences alike," says Erik Barmack, vice-president of international original series at Netflix.
"We are delighted to create this original series with Netflix, and are super excited by their undeniable ability to take this homegrown South African story to a global audience. We believe Queen Sono will kick the door open for more awesome stories from this part of the world," says Kagiso Lediga.
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
SABC2 adds The Bantu Hour as a new comedy sketch and variety show with host Kagiso Lediga and Hugh Masekela as the bandleader.
SABC2 is adding The Bantu Hour, a new comedy show from the people who produced Late Nite News with Loyiso Gola for eNCA (DStv 403), fronted by Kagiso Lediga and Hugh Masekela who will be the bandleader.
Like Saturday Night Live, The Bantu Hour, starting on Saturday 7 November at 21:00 on SABC2, will contain comedy skits presented by Kagiso Lediga and other stand-up comedians including Celeste Ntuli, Trevor Gumbi and Chris Forest.
The Bantu Hour will also have a celebrity guest in each episode, similar to Saturday Night Live. "When we came with this concept, this really brough memories of days when we used to do The Pure Monate Show back then," says Kagiso Lediga. "The comedy features a myriad of comedians, so viewers are in for a treat".
The Bantu Hour on SABC2 will use several languages.
"The Bantu Hour is a great way to revive sketch comedy on SABC2 because it brings the best of South African comedy talent together," says Jacqueline Setai, the SABC's head of entertainment programming.
The Bantu Hour is produced by Gunga7.com which is Diprente Films that did LNN for eNCA, with Hugh Masekela, Kagiso Lediga, Themba Vilakazi and John Volmink as executive producers and Tamsin Andersson as producer.
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