*We caught up with the stars of “Three Little Birds,” a visually arresting drama series created by actor, comedian, and co-founder of Comic Relief, Sir Lenny Henry.
The BritBox series is inspired by the stories of Henry’s mother and aunties. This 1950s-set drama captures the resilience and sacrifices of previous generations and their extraordinary voyage from Jamaica to Great Britain during the Windrush migration, per the official synopsis.
In a 2023 interview with The Independent, Henry clarified that “Three Little Birds” is not his mother’s story.
“There are some things that are true, but hopefully I’ve… because my family is very litigious, you see,” he joked, “I can’t say what they are. I fictionalized a lot of my mum’s and aunties’, and uncles’ stories. But the basic premise, two Jamaican women coming to Britain with a ‘mail-order bride’ friend, that is a kind of truth. The rest is fiction.”
“Three Little Birds” stars Rochelle Neil (Amazon’s Das Boot, HBO’s The Never’s) as Leah; Saffron Coomber (Steve McQueen’s Small Axe) as Chantrelle and Yazmin Belo, making her screen debut as Hosanna. The supporting cast includes Javone Prince, Bobby Gordon, Arthur Darvill, Tierney Turner, and Malachi Hall. Watch the trailer below.
Following its highly acclaimed UK debut, the show arrives in the US on Thursday, February 1st. Stream the first three episodes on BritBox, with the final three released a week later.
Here’s the official synopsis: Three Little Birds narrates the adventures of gregarious sisters Leah and Chantrelle, who hail from the St Anne’s district of Jamaica, and their virtuous, bible-loving acquaintance Hosanna, as they board a ship heading for a new life in Great Britain. Written by Sir Lenny Henry (Chef!, Broadchurch, The Long Song), this life-affirming six-part drama is inspired by Henry’s mother’s stories of leaving Jamaica in the 1950’s for Great Britain, which became her lifelong home and where she raised her family.
We reported earlier that the series delicately explores the personal stories of its characters, featuring a cast that delivers stellar performances and conveys the nuances of joy, pain, and determination that define the lives of the women who undertake a transformative journey.
“What’s so amazing to me is that I’m being able to live the dream that she wanted,” Coomber told The Independent about her character. “Were she born now, she’d be able to do what she wanted. I have that access in the way that she doesn’t; for me, that was really precious to protect.”
EUR’s Ny MaGee spoke further with Coomber and Belo about their resonating performances and what they’re most excited about viewers experiencing when they go on this adventure with these characters. Watch our exclusive conversation via the clip below.
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