Two of entertainment’s most powerful women in film and television are turning a Natalie Baszile novel into a dramatic series about the trials and tribulations of a family that has a lot to lose and even more to gain.
Queen Sugar is about two sisters, played by Rutina Wesley and Dawn-Lyen Gardner, who have to come to terms with co-existing on an 800-acre sugar cane farm inherited by their late father. Wesley’s character is an stern activist from Louisiana and Gardner plays a modern mother from Los Angeles.With a bunch of new land and new responsibilities, the women seek to stay above the drama that a large family can bring.
Earlier this year, Ava Duvernay announced the series would be directed by an all female squad and many of the women were from the “Black independent film space.”
While there’s no official date as to when the women plan to release the series, we can expect its premiere sometime this fall. The 13-episode adaptation won’t feature Winfrey as previously reported, but she will work alongside Duvernay as the co-creator and producer.
From the looks of the one-minute trailer, viewers will be in for some major family, relationship, and societal tea, all the makings of an addictive TV series. Will you tune into OWN this fall for Queen Sugar?
