Thuso Mbedu won an Independent Spirit Award and a Gotham Award for her leading role in “The Underground Railroad,” a miniseries that drew startling connections between America during the days of slavery, and America today. According to Deadline, that show won’t be the only socially-conscious TV project on the South African actress’ résumé: Under a first-look deal with Paramount Global’s VIS Social Impact division, Mbedu is set to “create, develop, and produce scripted and doc programs focused on equity, climate, and health” for Paramount+.
This marks VIS Social Impact’s inaugural first-look agreement. The division was introduced last fall as part of Paramount’s “Content for Change” initiative, which is designed to combat racism, stereotypes, and hate on both sides of the camera. “Among its key pillars is systematically transforming film and TV’s creative supply chain through deals such as the Mbedu agreement,” the source points out.
Georgia Arnold, who served as executive producer on “MTV Shuga: Down South,” in which Mbedu starred, heads VIS Social Impact.
“Having been privileged to work with Thuso on ‘MTV Shuga: Down South,’ I’ve seen her powerful creative talent first-hand; I’m in no doubt that her skill and expertise will help our studio develop ground-breaking social impact-driven content with worldwide appeal,” said Arnold, who is also Paramount’s Senior VP of International Social Responsibility.
“As Africans we have so many unique and diverse cultures, histories, and experiences that the world needs to see and hear about,” Mbedu explained. “As an African woman, to get an opportunity to tell stories that will uplift, empower, and shape new ways of thinking and seeing the world, is absolutely amazing.”
With “The Underground Railroad,” Mbedu became the first South African woman to lead a U.S. series. She received the TV Breakout Star prize at the Hollywood Critics Association Television Awards for her performance. You can see Mbedu this September in “The Woman King,” Gina Prince-Bythewood’s historical epic about the women warriors of The Kingdom of Dahomey. Viola Davis also stars.
