CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE

BABOU CEESAY, FREIDA PINTO AND IDRIS ELBA PLAY 1970s ACTIVISTS IN A NEW DRAMA…

In this new six-part series set in 1970s London, lovers and civil rights activists Marcus (Babou Ceesay) and Jas (Freida Pinto) face a daily battle against prejudice. But when they attend a peaceful rally with Jas’ ex-boyfriend Kent (Idris Elba), a violent tragedy leaves Marcus and Jas desperate to make their voices heard…

What can you tell us about your characters?

Freida Jas is like a ticking time bomb. She has a lot of passion, but she can also be naive on occasion. The consequences of her actions greatly move the flow of the story.

Babou Marcus is a teacher by profession, but he’s being asked to work on a bus. He’s like a tortoise – moving one step at a time, but he has potential and when he gets there, he has really got there.

Idris Kent is a bit different from the other revolutionaries. He’s an activist who uses art to keep black British history alive. He’s constantly striving for equality and harmony, but doesn’t believe that direct action will get you there.

What’s the turning point for these characters?

Freida Jas’ friend is brutally killed at a peaceful protest rally, and that definitely ignites the already existing fire in her to speak out about it.

What relevance does this drama have today?

Idris One of the things that really attracted me to the project was getting the chance to show a modern audience what it was like to face prejudice, fight racism and really take a stand. I think we can all learn a lot from what our ancestors went through.

Freida The things that we talk about in this series are things we are hearing about right now – it reflects the angst people are feeling, whether it’s protesting against the immigration ban in America or finally waking up to what Brexit means. I think it’s all of that, and that’s why this programme is so important.