Jada Pinkett Smith announced a few power moves this week with Netflix and iHeart Media. The streaming powerhouse has greenlighted a two-season order to a hybrid docuseries about African Queens, from Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Westbrook Studios and Nutopia, with Pinkett Smith serving as executive producer.
The as-yet untitled series will focus on a different queen each season — starting with Cleopatra in season one and Njinga in season two — blending expert interviews and other documentary content with premium scripted docudrama/re-enactments.
“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. 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,” Jada told Deadline.
“I’m sooooo excited for this project! @westbrook Studios x @nutopiatv let’s gooooooo!,” she wrote on Instagram.
Jada, her daughter Willow, and mother Adrienne-Banfield-Norris also took their “Red Table Talk” venture to another level this week. According to Variety, “Red Table Talk” has signed a new deal with iHeart Media to launch the Red Table Talk Audio Network. The newly formed network will launch five new series over the next two years. The venture will include a slate of co-produced podcasts, including its two current shows: “Red Table Talk,” hosted by the mother, daughter and grandmother and “Positively Gam,” hosted by Banfield-Norris.
The first show to launch on the slate was the podcast version of the “Red Table Talk” spinoff, “Red Table Talk: The Estefans,” hosted by Gloria Estefan Emily Estefan, and Lili Estefan. The podcast series launched on Wednesday, Aug. 25 as part of iHeart Media’s My Cultura, a dedicated podcast platform created to elevate Latinx voices and creators, while sharing the Latinx experience with millions of listeners everywhere. Additional podcasts and creators set to join the Red Table Talk Audio Network will be announced in the coming months.
