Jada Pinkett Smith on ‘African Queens: Njinga’: ‘We don’t often get to see or hear stories about black queens’
A new documentary about African queens, produced by and starring actress Jada Pinkett Smith, will premiere on Netflix on February 15.
Pinkett Smith shared insights into the upcoming documentary “African Queens: Njinga,” revealing that the initial inspiration stemmed from her daughter Willow’s curiosity about African queens and their significance.
“It was crucial for me, my daughter, and our community to hear the stories of black queens since they are often overlooked, despite their significant roles in African history,
I was definitely interested in particular people, Njinga being one of them.
A lot of people probably don’t know this about me, but I’m a historian in my own right and Njinga came up in my reading. I just found her fascinating.
She was a powerhouse. It was important to me that their stories were told well and Nutopia is one of the best partners because they do this so well. They’re going to research whatever name or idea is given to them to the hilt.
I was really happy that they were passionate about this project as well. They just know how to do the deep dive.
To be a queen is a complicated position. To be a woman in patriarchal culture is also complicated, but the thing that I loved about her was her perseverance, and how much she loved her sisters, and how she would not give up on protecting her family and was willing to do whatever it took to protect her own people and her Kingdom from the ravages of the transatlantic trade.
She understood that it would always mean making hard and difficult choices, but she was a leader who ruled in complicated times, and I think we have to understand her in the context of those times.
The difficulty with narrative is that sometimes you want to take creative license and stretch ideas a bit, where I really wanted to be able to stick to the historical facts of each woman.
I just felt like that was important, specifically because these are stories that aren’t well known.
There’s lots of historical literature around all the queens of England so, if you decide to stretch their stories in telling a narrative, the purity of their existence is at our fingertips.
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That’s not the case with black African queens so it was supremely important for me to do a docudrama. I wanted to be educated, factually, around the lives of these women.
Authenticity. I’m so involved. It’s a difficult process because these aren’t big-budget documentaries, but we go through tape after tape after tape.
When I saw the actress for Njinga, Adesuwa Oni, I knew right away.
I was like, ‘We’ve got to have her!’
Because she had such a potent strength, but she also had a level of vulnerability that I loved as well.
She was very nuanced, and as an actress, I’m always looking for that because these characters are really complicated. I really thought she did Njinga a beautiful justice.
In 2023, it’s significant to consider the portrayal of slavery in media, given the awareness of its trauma in the black community. It’s a delicate balance, but we must acknowledge this aspect of history. Writers Peres Owino and NneNne Iwuji did an excellent job with their scripts, reflecting their talent and passion for the project.
Telling these stories now is crucial because we have the ability and opportunity to do so, thanks to those who came before us. “African Queens” aims to honor this legacy. The hope is for these narratives to challenge stereotypes and foster pride in our shared heritage, bridging understanding and honoring our roots.
Jada Pinkett Smith on ‘African Queens: Njinga’: ‘We don’t often get to see or hear stories about black queens’ first appeared on iol
