I’m finding ways to make it entertaining and profound.”
Writer Karla Crome reflected on the thematic influences and the project's genre identity.
She likened the tone to classic Gothic literature and described the personal resonance of the central character's journey.
“What’s true for both me and Claudia is a disconnect between our Jamaican heritage,” Crome said.
“Her being drawn into this rich tapestry of her own personal identity and history, that she’s aware of, but not necessarily tuned into.”
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Crome noted initial anxieties regarding spiritual depictions. “We were terrified of falling into Hollywood voodoo clichés,” she said.
However, early local screenings in Jamaica received positive feedback.
“When I was in the toilet afterwards, I overheard some local people talking about it, and they just kept saying, ‘It’s just so Jamaican.’
That is the best feedback I could possibly ask for!”
Lead actress Gugu Mbatha-Raw detailed her approach to selecting diverse roles. “I don’t want to do the same thing all of the time,” she said.
“It’s fun for me to go from a period drama to a romantic drama to a comedy – it keeps me stimulated.”
Mbatha-Raw highlighted the character development of Claudia.
“I was fascinated by Claudia because she’s caught between her professional obligations and her own personal history,” she said.
She also noted the sensory reality of filming at authentic historical sites in Jamaica.
“We wanted everything to feel as real as possible – the beauty of the colour, music and smells of Jamaica, but also its darkness.”
“It’s uncomfortable to talk about reparations, it’s hard to talk about slavery and how we make peace with that history,” Mbatha-Raw said.
“I think that’s what makes [the show] so compelling. You can’t just paper over the cracks of history.
If we don’t deal with it, it will find ways of haunting us.”
Executive producers for the project include Ruth Kenley-Letts, Jenny van der Lande, Neil Blair, Crome, Saulter, Sam Hoyle, Serena Thompson, Mbatha-Raw, and Miller.
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NBCUniversal Global TV Distribution is handling international sales for the series produced by Snowed-In in association with Sky Studios.
