‘Dreaming Whilst Black’: BBC, A24 & Big Deal Films Series Adds Jessica Hynes, Akemnji Ndifornyen and More (EXCLUSIVE)

Jessica Hynes (“Shaun of the Dead”) and Akemnji Ndifornyen (“Famalam”) are among the cast set to join Adjani Salmon’s BBC, A24 and Big Deal Films series “Dreaming Whilst Black.”

The show, which Salmon (“Doctor Who”) created and stars in, is based on a web-series of the same name. It was adapted into a critically acclaimed pilot in 2021 and greenlit for a six-part series last fall.

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The series will see Salmon reprise his role as Kwabena alongside Dani Moseley (“Everything I Know About Love”) as Amy.

They will be joined by newcomers to the show Hynes and Ndifornyen as well as Isy Suttie (“Peep Show”), Peter Serafinowicz (“The Tick”), Roger Griffiths (“Chef!”), Martina Laird (“The Little Mermaid”), Jo Martin (“Doctor Who”), Steve Furst (“The Serpent Queen”) and “Love Island’s” Ovie Soko.

Meanwhile, returning from the pilot are Demmy Ladipo (“We Are Lady Parts”) as Maurice, Rachel Adedeji  (“Champion”) as Funmi, babirye bukilwa (“We Hunt Together”) as Vanessa, Alexander Owen (“Jurassic World Dominion”) as Adam and Will Hislop (“Gangs of London”) as Lewis.

Based on real events, “Dreaming Whilst Black” tells the story of aspiring filmmaker Kwabena. Stuck in a dead-end job, he is hoping to take the next step in his career but quickly finds himself trying to balance finances, love and his sense of reality.

Dhanny Joshi and Thomas Stogdon exec produce for Big Deal Films alongside Adjani Salmon. Jermain Julien, Koby Adom, Sebastian Thiel and Joelle Mae David directed the series, which was produced by Nicola Gregory.

BBC’s director of comedy commissioning, Jon Petrie, commissioned the series together withFiona Campbell, youth audience controller for iPlayer and BBC Three. The commissioning editor for the BBC is Tanya Qureshi.
 
Salmon co-wrote the original web series of the same name with Ali Hughes. It was created by Salmon, Max Evans, Laura de Sousa Seixas and Natasha Jatania of 4 Quarters Films.

“Dreaming Whilst Black,” which will drop on BBC Three and iPlayer in late July, is co-produced by Big Deal Films (“Holier Than Thou”) and A24 (“Euphoria”). It is the first U.K. co-pro for A24, who are repping international sales.

BBC and A24 are also developing series adaptation of Douglas Stuart’s “Shuggie Bain” and Yomi Adegoke’s “The List.”

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