Forbidden love:
Drama puts new twist on race relations.
Aworld in which Europe has been colonised by Africa is the intriguing scenario for drama series Noughts & Crosses. It is adapted from the series of books for young adults by Malorie Blackman.
Inspired by Romeo And Juliet, it is the story of first love in a dangerous world where prejudice divides society.
Set in a contemporary Britain where the white underclass, known as Noughts, are segregated from their black rulers, the Crosses, the story centres on ambitious teenager Callum McGregor (Jack Rowan), who falls for childhood friend Sephy (newcomer Masal Baduza), whose father is the Home Secretary, Kamal Hadley (Paterson Joseph).
Despite its setting in a version of the UK known as Albion, the series was filmed largely on location in South Africa. In the opening episode former amateur boxer Callum is accepted into an elite military academy – the first Nought ever allowed in.
Rowan was made to share the experience of feeling an outsider when he underwent boot camp training in South Africa.
“I was the only white guy there and the 100 other young lads were told not to talk to me and to give me dirty looks,” says the Peaky Blinders and Born To Kill star.
“So I was isolated for real and that worked for the character and I embraced it. Some people go through that every day so that experience was very helpful.”
Although originally aimed at young adults, the adaptation has made the central characters a little older to appeal to a broader audience. British rapper Stormzy, a fan of the books, guest stars as a newspaper editor in episode six in a role specially created for him.
Other notable cast members include Helen Baxendale and Ian Hart as Callum’s parents Meggie and Ryan.
As a young man Ryan was very politically active, specifically within the Liberation Militia, an organisation fighting for the rights of Noughts. But he reached a point where the activities became more
violent than he was prepared to accept. Now his older son, Jude (Josh Dylan), is convinced that hate and anger against the Crosses is the way to toppling them and thinks his father is being cowardly in trying to deter him.
“Even though Jude is older, he acts at times like the younger brother,” says Rowan.
“Callum has his head screwed on a little more and is able to think with his brain more than his heart.
“Callum is so complex and I connected to him on many levels. He’s ambitious to better his life and is desperate to do some good in the world rather than sitting and simply hating authority.
“A lot happens in the drama but it always comes back to Callum and Sephy’s beautiful but dangerous love story. There is a lot of chemistry between these two as they secretly continue in their forbidden relationship.”
It is Callum who helps Sephy to see the injustice of the world and also to come to realise just how dangerous a racist her father is.
“Sephy is very ambitious, headstrong and knows what she wants which she definitely gets from her father,” says Masali Baduza.
“Having idolised her father as a young girl, she learns what kind of human being he is and the illusion is shattered and their relationship starts to disintegrate. At the same time, her relationship with her mother, Jasmine (Bonnie Mbuli), which has always been quite superficial, becomes deeper as they come to understand each other better and it grows into a proper mother-daughter bond. They find that they have a common tie of wanting to help others.
“Both Sephy and Callum are isolated in their own separate worlds and don’t feel like they belong. She is becoming more aware of the way things work, and she is not satisfied with the oppression that her people impose on others. Callum makes her view the world differently and gives her a different perspective on life, and they are drawn together because they want to fight the system.
“What I really liked about their relationship is how innocent it is in this world where everything seems to be set up against them. It is always beautiful to see the message relayed that whatever world you are in and however hard your circumstances may be, there is always that bit of hope. Their relationship represents that.
“They are very brave to want to be together as it is illegal. It is inspiring to see how courageous they are and how their love is able to overcome such dangerous obstacles and difficult struggles.”
“I was the only white guy there and the 100 other young lads were told not to talk to me and to give me dirty looks.” – Jack Rowan