Netflix’s First Original African Series ‘Queen Sono’ Comes Out This February

Netflix is investing heavily in Africa’s untapped entertainment market. One of the products of this commitment is Queen Sono, the streaming giant’s first original African series. Queen Sono is a spy-thriller series about an eccentric spy with a mysterious past, who’s trying to uncover the dark truths about her mother’s assassination while protecting her country.

The South African model turned actor Pearl Thusi leads the action-packed thriller. Thusi, who was previously on ABC drama Quantico, told Essence the series is an opportunity to show the world an Africa beyond poverty.

“People like to fantasize about African poverty. They think of African tragedy, and it’s romanticized unbelievably,” she says. “But because we have control over the narrative, we can show this is not the only thing that’s happening in Africa. This is what’s happening in the middle class; this is what’s happening in our hoods, in our streets, in our townships.”

A drama about a secret agent who fights crime while dealing with crises in her personal life.

Dorothy Ghettuba, Netflix’s Head of International Original for Africa, echoes Thusi’s sentiments. “Queen Sono is a kaleidoscope of expression of African artistry,” she tells CNN. “It showcases an African aesthetic onscreen that the rest of the world has never had a chance to see … exploring the origins of contemporary trends through African eyes and the breadth of ideas that this vast continent has to offer.”

Queen Sono stars Kate Liquorish, Shane John Kruger, Natasha Loring, and Steven John Ward. The show is directed by Tebogo Malope and Kagiso Lediga, who also penned the first episode. It premieres on Netflix on February 28, 2020.