jamarchNEW YORK (JIS) – Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Well known Jamaican Playwright and Actor David Heron has landed a role in the new drama series Ya Ma Afrika, scheduled to have its World Network Premiere in February of 2007.
Set in New York City, Ya Ma Afrika follows the personal and professional lives of four ambitious and attractive young African women sharing an apartment in Brooklyn.
As they try to forge a better life for themselves in their adopted homeland, they encounter numerous obstacles and challenges ranging from immigration issues to romance to various family crises.
The half hour drama series will air on the popular international cable channel 3A Telesud, which is beamed to millions of viewers throughout Africa and Europe and is seen in the USA on The Dish Network.
Heron plays the role of Marcus Leslie, an advertising agency employee and co-worker to one of the four principal characters.
“He’s employed to the same ad agency as Thandi, one of the four roommates who hails from South Africa,” Heron says.
“They are good friends, and he’s married, but he has also has a bit of an eye, so there are several compromising situations in which he gets himself as the series goes on.”
It is Heron’s first recurring role in a television series and he is eagerly anticipating the challenge.
“Marcus is Jamaican born and has been living in New York for many years, but like the four lead characters, he still identifies strongly with his homeland… I’m hoping to inject a real ‘yard’ vibe into him to add to the show’s diversity and appeal, and hopefully, keep Jamaica firmly in focus and on the map.”
Ironically enough, Heron had originally auditioned for another role when he first met with the Producers in October.
“I was up for the role of a cop who becomes a kind of Knight in shining armour for one of the four girls,” he says, “But the Producers called me back and said they were going to create a totally new character for me, based on what I’d done in the audition… And now it’s developed into a larger role than the one I’d originally gone in for…That was really flattering.”
Heron joins an international cast of established and upcoming actors including Miss Universe 1999, Mpule Kwelagobe of Botswana, top runway model Soulemayne Sy Sylvane -originally from the Ivory Coast- and renowned US radio personality Omekongo, who is of Congolese descent.
Award winning African filmmaker Thato Mwaso, also from Botswana, serves as Writer and Director for the series, which is executive produced by Cameroonian born Else Bollanga.
Heron went on to say that “It’s an exciting opportunity for me to be part of a truly international production team that includes personnel from all over the Diaspora, including Cameroon, Botwsana, Kenya, Nigeria , the USA and Haiti. It gives the production a really cosmopolitan outlook and will give viewers around the world a totally different perspective on the lives of Africans and other people of colour living in the big city.”
Heron also revealed that the Producers are in negotiations to have the show broadcast throughout the West Indies, including Jamaica, eventually.
Media Writer
