New C4 series Queenie is based on the bestselling novel by Candice Carty-Williams. The eight-episode series has begun filming in South London and stars Dionne Brown, Samuel Adewunmi, Bellah, Sally Phillips, Jon Pointing, Tilly Keeper, Llewella Gideon, Michelle Greenidge, Cristale De’Abreu, Elisha Applebaum and Mim Shaikh.
Queenie Jenkins played by Dionne Brown (Criminal Record and The Walk-In) is a twenty-five-year-old Jamaican British woman living in South London, straddling two cultures and slotting neatly into neither. After a messy break up from her long-term boyfriend Tom, played by Jon Pointing (Big Boys), Queenie seeks comfort in all the wrong places, and begins to realise she has to face the past head on, before she can re-build.
Samuel Adewunmi (Secret Invasion and You Don't Know Me) will play Frank, a man with his own van and grand plans in life. He’s from ends, is invested in his community and he’s known Queenie since her High School days. Bellah makes her screen debut as Kyazike, Queenie’s longest-serving best friend from school.
Sally Phillips (Bridget Jones) plays Gina, the hard-bitten Editor at Queenie’s work The Daily Read, Tilly Keeper (You) plays Queenie’s colleague Darcy, Elisha Applebaum (Fate: The Winx Saga) plays Queenie’s best friend from university Cassandra and Mim Shaikh (Informer) plays our resident wideboy Adi.
For Queenie’s family Llewella Gideon is Grandma Veronica (GameFace), Michelle Greenidge plays Aunty Maggie (After Life) and Cristale De’Abreu makes her TV debut as Queenie’s little cousin Diana.
Candice Carty-Williams said: “I can’t imagine bringing Queenie to life without each member of this exciting and enviable cast. Each of these actors has brought their own essence to each role, breathing new life into this adaptation, and revitalising my own relationships with characters who have lived in my head for almost a decade. I can’t wait for viewers to see the chemistry, the talent and the brilliance of Queenie, her family and her friends, her lovers and her frenemies.”
Dionne Brown commented: “I am absolutely thrilled to be bringing Queenie to screens with Channel 4, Disney, Lionsgate and Candice. I’ve been in love with the book since the moment I read it so to be able to audition much less play her (Queenie) is a dream come true and I can’t wait for everyone to see exactly what we’ve been working on behind the scenes.”
Created by Candice Carty-Williams, Queenie is executive produced by Carty-Williams, who will also serve as showrunner. Executive producers are Further South’s Steve November and Sarah Conroy with Lisa Walters as co-executive producer and series producer. The series was commissioned for Channel 4 Drama by Head of Drama, Caroline Hollick and Commissioning Editor Gemma Boswell. Written by Candice Carty-Williams, Ryan Calais Cameron, Yolanda Mercy, Natasha Brown and Thara Popoola and directed by Joelle Mae David and Makalla McPherson.
Queenie is produced by Further South Productions in association with Lionsgate TV. Queenie will be available on Channel 4 in the UK and the Republic of Ireland and will stream exclusively on Hulu in the U.S., Star+ in Latin America, Disney+ in all other territories.
Pictured:Dionne Brown (playing Queenie) is left and Candice Carty-Williams is right.
