WATCH THE TRAILER FOR HULU’S 'QUEENIE'

The trailer for Hulu’s new series Queenie is finally here.

Based on the 2019 bestselling novel by Candice Carty-Williams, the story follows a 25-year old Jamaican Brit living in South London named Queenie Jenkins—played exquisitely by newcomer Dionne Brown. After a messy breakup with her longtime boyfriend, she finds herself in the midst of a “quarter-life crisis” and thus begins a journey of self-discovery to rebuild her life. And, of course, it wouldn’t be a true coming-of-age story without your fare share of situationships, work drama, and complicated family dynamics.

Rounding out the cast is the British R&B singer Bellah, Samuel Adewunmi, Michelle Greenidge, and, for The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air fans, Joseph Marcell. Plus, the soundtrack is pretty great, too.

In honor of the trailer’s exclusive premiere on ELLE.com, Carty-Williams, who also serves as the show’s executive producer and showrunner, spoke to us about how she brought her bestselling novel to the screen—and even teases a few surprises that are new to the show.

Congratulations on the show! How does it feel to have your novel be adapted for the screen?

Thank you so much! It’s been eight years in the making—Lionsgate optioned the rights in 2017—so actually I’m just glad that I made it through. On a serious note; it’s been really interesting to look back at, and rework, the novel with a more mature personal lens. And, of course, music obsessive that I am, to pair score with Queenie’s story.

When you were first approached to turn Queenie into a show, what was the initial process like?

Before the book was published, I think I had meetings with about fifteen or so production companies who wanted to option it. I went with Lionsgate based on the shows they’d already brought to the screen, and once we were in the development process, Gemma Boswell, the new Drama Commissioner at Channel 4, got in touch with me. I’d met her when she was working at one of the production companies that had wanted to option Queenie around a year before. She’d loved it so much that she was determined to work on it in one way or another! Soon after, Onyx Collective jumped on and joined Channel 4 as the show’s networks—from what Gemma told me, Tara Duncan, the Onyx Collective President, had been stalking the rights to the show. And the rest is history!

You serve as an executive producer and showrunner. What did your involvement look like?

It started with me writing the pilot, then choosing a story producer and script editor, then running the writer’s room, then writing episodes, then choosing directors, directors of photography, a set designer, a costume designer—you get it. I had to choose the team to work on the show alongside producer Lisa Walters and Executive Producer Sarah Conroy. Once we were good to go, I was on set every day. I’d go in early to make sure that the set was right, that props were right, that costume was right; once you start filming there’s no time to go back and amend things, so it’s important that everything is right from the jump. For me, the most challenging element of being a showrunner is having your eye on every single moment so that the whole show makes sense once you get into the edit. I’m pretty sure that I developed the skill of continuity when I was writing novels—you have to be able to know that what’s happening on page 28 lines up with what’s happening on page 228. Once the show was shot, which we did in 48 days, it was time to get into the edit and make it look amazing. Once you’ve watched each episode 75,000 times and you’ve got the series in good shape, it’s time to record any additional dialogue, apply the grade (so that it looks nice), add the additional dialogue, music, score, sound design, and graphics across all eight episodes, making sure that everything is cohesive. I was there from the very beginning until the very end and it was a lot. Working with producer and composer Swindle on the music made it all worth it for me, though.

How does developing a show compare to writing a book?

The biggest difference is how many people are involved! When you’re writing a novel, you’re working with maximum three people to get it from your head to the point that it’s printed; your agent will give it a first pass, your editor will work closely with you on the story and the world, and a copy editor will make sure that when you said that it was Thursday, it was actually a Thursday and not a Sunday. On the Queenie adaptation, I was juggling script notes from about 10 different executives for all episodes, which comes with its challenges. With novels, once it’s written, it’s written. Here, you’re rewriting before you film, you’re rewriting on set, you’re even rewriting in the edit! You become a writing machine! I definitely feel like I went through writing boot camp.

What can fans of the book expect from this series? How closely will it adhere to the novel?

There are key moments and of course characters from the novel, with a couple of expanded ones (here’s looking at you, Frank!). The adaptation follows the novel closely, but the key difference is that we show moments where Queenie leaves the room and we see what the people in her life are thinking about her and what she’s going through. The novel is written very firmly from Queenie’s (sometimes skewed) point of view, and one of my favorite things to do in the series was step outside of her head. It was a relief, to be honest. She’s got a lot going on in there!

Did you have any moments where you had to fight for your characters and the authenticity of the story?

Yes. Many. So many. I’ll leave it there.

Why was Dionne Brown the perfect choice for Queenie?

Dionne’s commitment to understanding who the character is was really something. I could tell that she’d studied the novel and she would always ask me about Queenie’s thought processes, motivations, and feelings. Being able to discuss those things with her is why she was able to create her own version of Queenie.

What parts of the book are you most excited to see play out on screen?

I don’t know if excited is the word, but I’m definitely interested in people seeing that Queenie actually isn’t at all about the character’s relationships with any of the men in her life; past, present or future. It’s about the relationship she has with herself, and with her mother, and I think that the series illuminates that dynamic in a way that helps to make sense of why Queenie makes certain...choices.

Do you have a favorite moment from the trailer?

All of it! Genuinely. I think it captures the energy of the show beautifully.

Are there any surprises that are new to the show that you can tease?

There’s a new story strand that was so moving to write and to see play out. I would (and still do, actually) scream with proper glee every time I saw a certain moment towards the end of the series. Without spoiling it, all I will say is: Sometimes it’s been right in front of you all along. You just have to be in the right place to see it.

What are you most excited for fans to see when the show premieres?

Queenie’s world, and all of the love and vibrancy that’s in it.

All eight episodes of Queenie premiere Friday, June 7 on Hulu.

2024-04-30T16:13:03Z dg43tfdfdgfd