On the 28th of February 2019, Africa got its first original scripted series from Netflix, the spy thriller Queen Sono. It was ground breaking for several reasons. The entire series was conceptualized and written by South Africans, led by Kagiso Lediga, South African comic and filmmaker. It had South African leads in Pearl Thusi and Kate Liquorish and featured a predominantly South African cast that included many veterans. It also told a distinctly South African story, even though much of the action happens across Africa and some of Europe. With global acclaim and its place in history assured, the show has become the new blue print of what is possible for African television.

We at YNaija were fortunate to sit with Pearl Thusi and Kagiso Lediga, star and show runner of Queen Sono, to discuss their career collaborations that have now spanned three projects, the impact of Queen Sono on African television media and the prospects for future collaborations.

We hope you enjoy watching it as much as we enjoyed making.

Editor