With Netflix set to produce original content out of Africa, the first series from this venture has been ordered.

They’ve set Queen Sono, a spy comedy-drama which will star Pearl Thusi.

Thusi announced the news with excitement on Twitter.

Kagiso Lediga will also star in the series, which he created and will direct. Thusi will play “a highly trained top spy in a South African agency whose purpose is to better the lives of African citizens. While taking on her most dangerous mission yet, she must also face changing relationships in her personal life.”

Thusi, a South African actress and television personality, is perhaps best known for her role as Dayana Mampasi in the softly rebooted second season of the ABC drama Quantico. 

“We love the team behind the show, [and] we’re passionate about coming in and doing something that feels fresh and different. It’s really exciting for us,” she said. “Their point of view and creating a strong female character was really something that also really drew us to it.  It [Queen Sono] will also have dramatic elements, a bit of humour and be very character driven. There’s a lot of love and passion that they’re putting into this project that we’re excited to bring to the screen,” said Kelly Luegenbiehl, Netflix’s vice president of international originals for Europe and Africa.

“Taking talent like this and telling stories to the rest of the world puts Pearl in the same category as other strong female characters like Claire Underwood in House of Cards and Jessica Jones. Over time our roots will get deeper in Africa and South Africa, and we’re moving pretty quickly to that now and plan to invest more in local content,” said Erik Barmack, Netflix’s vice president of international originals.

Kagiso added, “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.”

With production set to begin at the beginning of next year, the series will launch in over 190 countries.

South Africa publication Independent initially reported the news.

 

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