- Queendom follows the story of Linda Mtoba’s Ntandokayise Mthombeni and the family of the Khahlamba kingdom.
- The daily drama debuts on Monday, 22 April 2024, at 18:30.
- The show has themes of African storytelling and subverting the patriarchy.
An integration of Kasi glam and regal South African heritage came to life at the launch of BET International’s latest drama series Queendom.
The crisp Johannesburg evening air was filled with excitement as the cast of the show – including the likes of Linda Mtoba, Sindi Dlathu, Dawn Thandeka King and Mduduzi Mabaso – and esteemed guests came together in anticipation of the release of the show.
The cast and crew of #BETQueendom in all of their glory as they celebrate the launch of the new show, premiering Monday 22 April at 18:30 on BET. pic.twitter.com/nlV6BHNRDi
— TRUELOVE Magazine (@TrueLoveMag) April 16, 2024
The evening’s festivities, hosted by television presenter Leddi Radebe, boasted unforgettable performances from acts like Afro-soul group The Soil, an exclusive screening of the first episode and an engaging panel discussion with the cast and crew.
Queendom is set to debut on Monday, 22 April 2024, at 18:30 and depicts the life of Linda Mtoba’s character Ntandokayise Mthombeni - a headstrong young woman at the forefront of spearheading her community in Tsakane - along with her mother, Tholakele Mthombeni (played by Sindi Dlathu), who has been keeping secret her daughter’s rightful place on to the Khahlamba throne for 30 years.
Their story is contrasted with that of the family of the Khahlamba Kingdom, Queen MaNdlovu (played by Dawn Thandeka King), her husband King Banzi Khahlamba (played by Hamilton Dlamini) and son Prince Mcebo Khlahlamba (played by Pallance Dladla), who showcase themes of power struggles and tradition.
Monde Twala, senior vice president and general manager of Paramount, explains to TRUELOVE why it was important for the company and BET International to tell this story.
“Queendom reflects who we are. It’s about storytelling from an African perspective. It’s about an elevation of who we are from a cultural perspective but also a contemporary perspective. It’s about simplicity of who we are, you know. Celebrating our diversity of our continent, celebrating our diversity of Africans and South Africans.
READ MORE | Meet the women behind Queendom's wardrobe and makeup
“I think Queendom really is going to be that opportunity for us to really flip the script on patriarchy, showcase a new world where Black women are at the centre of storytelling, at the centre of elevating and celebrating Black love, Black joy, Black experiences through, like I said earlier, the vessel that is the storytellers that we are.”
Linda Mtoba takes on the lead role and tells us about how much she enjoys portraying the strong Ntandokayise.
“I think I love bringing Ntandokayise to life because she has such a life, one, and the life that many South Africans relate to especially young women who are trying to make it against the world.
“We have a young girl from Tsakane who’s aspiring to be a lawyer and she’s now almost 30 years old, she’s turning 30, and in that you have the duality of it but that hasn’t stopped her from journeying far and actively pursuing that dream.”
With the cast and crew eager to see the story come to life, here’s a look inside the arrivals and launch of BET’s Queendom:
Sindi Dlathu
Linda Mtoba in Waldo
Dawn Thandeka King
Mduduzi Mabaso
Samkelo Ndlovu
Leddi Radebe
Sibulele Gcilitshana
Mike Mvelase
