Jada Pinkett Smith and her husband Will Smith’s Westbrook Studios have received the green light from Netflix to produce two seasons of a hybrid docuseries about African Queens.
Both Hollywood A-listers will serve as executive producers for the series.
“As the mother of a young Black woman, it is immensely important to me that she learns the lessons of the African Queens who paved the way for our success and the success of generations of Black women,” said Pinkett Smith via Deadline.
“I am very passionate and excited about bringing the stories and lessons of these powerful women to light in order to showcase their strength, leadership, and undeniable influence on history,” she continues.
Peres Owino writes the series (“Bound: Africans vs African-Americans”) and NneNne Iwuji (“Yellow.”) A different queen will be the focus of each season. The Smiths have opted to focus on Cleopatra — whose ethnicity has often been the subject of debate.
The second season will focus on Njinga and both seasons will blend “expert interviews and other documentary content with premium scripted docudrama/re-enactments.”
Social media had a lot to say about Cleopatra being spotlighted first. Here are a few reactions to the news:
Speaking to Rolling Stone earlier this year — Pinkett-Smith made it clear she’s planning to take over everything.
Her show, “The Red Table Talk,” has featured many viral moments. Pinkett-Smith even brought herself to the table with her husband to address the reports of her alleged affair with August Alsina.
And while she faced criticism, she acknowledges the power of her platform.
“To be able to sit [as] three Black women and see the variety of perspectives is really interesting, because I know a lot of people just like to put Black women in one big old pot,” Pinkett Smith says. “That myth has to be dissolved.”
