On Monday, May 13th, I had the privilege of attending the highly-anticipated premiere of ‘Queenie’, a captivating adaptation of Candice Carty-Williams’s bestselling novel. The exclusive screening, held at BAFTA and hosted by Channel 4, was memorable. It was followed by a Q&A session with the brilliant minds behind the show, including creator, showrunner and executive producer Candice Carty-Williams, actors Dionne Brown, Bellah, and Joseph Marcell, and casting director Aisha Bywaters. We were treated to a sneak peek of the eight-part series, with the premiere showcasing the first two episodes. ‘Queenie’ is set to become a must-watch series on Channel 4, offering a unique and compelling narrative that will surely intrigue and engage you.
Candice Carty-Williams has assembled a remarkable cast for Queenie, each bringing their unique talents and backgrounds to the screen. The series is beautifully shot and superbly edited, with pitch-perfect performances from a stellar young cast. Dionne Brown, a rising star, shines as Queenie, a razor-sharp, utterly honest, blisteringly funny character full of heart and soul. Dionne conveys a wide range of moods and expressions of Queenie’s trials and tribulations as she navigates life in London.
Bellah, a singer and songwriter, makes her screen debut as Kyazike, Queenie’s longest-serving best friend from school. Born in Enfield to Nigerian parents, Bellah was nominated for Best R&B/Soul Act at the 2023 MOBO Awards. She has never acted, she tells the audience, but is learning the craft and loved the process of working on this her first acting gig.
The renowned classical theatre actor Joseph Marcell plays the role of Queenie’s Grandfather, bringing his decades of wisdom in acting on screen and stage. Another standout element of the series is its portrayal of South London, Queenie’s home, with rich detail and authenticity. The writing captures South London’s poetry, rhythm, and accents, adding depth to the story.
Candice Carty-Williams’s talent and passion for storytelling are evident in ‘Queenie’. Her dedication to bringing this story to life is truly inspiring, and I have no doubt that the team’s incredible work will be recognised, and they will be collecting the BAFTAs next year, a testament to their talent and dedication.
I must confess I missed the excitement surrounding Queenie’s release in 2019 as I was living in Lagos, Nigeria, at the time. However, I purchased a copy soon after Candice Carty-Williams reached out to me in April 2022, requesting the soundtrack for my feature film, Babymother. In her email, she wrote, “I am the biggest Babymother fan on the planet! Thank you greatly for such an inspiring, timeless, and brilliant piece of work.” I was delighted to send her a copy of the soundtrack and offered to share stories about the making of Babymother. In return, she sent me a copy of her new novel, People Person, published in April 2022, another terrific novel.
In March this year, despite the pouring rain, she drove from South London to meet me. We spent three wonderful hours in my kitchen, getting to know each other and sharing stories over cardamom green tea and hot samosas. In the 1990s, Harlesden NW10, where Babymother is set, was famed as a melting pot of Jamaican music spanning reggae, lovers rock, and dancehall. When Julian Henriques and I made Babymother in 1998, Candice was ten. It’s heartening to see her generation rediscovering the film with the BFI’s release of a Blu-ray DVD in September 2021.
Candice is a remarkable young woman. She is a celebrated writer and author who has expanded her creative talent into television. For BBC One, she created and wrote Champion, a musical drama. Through her work in literature and television, she is a powerful voice for diversity and representation.
Congratulations, Candice Carty-Williams, on the fantastic production of Queenie. We eagerly await its June broadcast on Channel 4. For more information about the series and release, please check here, and watch the trailer here.
About Parminder Vir OBE
Over a 40-year distinguished career, Parminder Vir OBE has passionately devoted her life to amplifying untold narratives and resourcing the skills and imagination of underserved communities. At the core of her mission lies an unshakable faith in the transformative potential of ideas and stories to ignite profound change. Her diverse expertise spans African entrepreneurship, an impressive portfolio as an award-winning film and television producer, and unwavering advocacy for the arts and culture.
Currently, Parminder Vir lends her strategic insights as an Advisory Board Member of Mamamoni Limited and HelpMum, and contributes as a Narrative Advisor at Mustard Venture Agency. She is also a director of Zikora Media and Arts, an inspirational cultural institution for Africa.
In her prior role as CEO of the Tony Elumelu Foundation and Advisory Board Member, she masterminded and executed a comprehensive entrepreneurship programme, impacting over 10,000 African entrepreneurs across 54 African nations from 2014 to 2021. Her tireless commitment to championing entrepreneurship as the keystone for Africa’s social and economic advancement continues to be a resounding call to action.
