The Box: Thabisile Zikhali Joins 'Uzalo,' ZEE5 Announces Tamil-Language TV Slate; Netflix Launches First Season Of Dutch Dramedy 'Dirty Lines'
Thabisile Zikhali
Africa: Thabisile Zikhali has been cast in the 8th season of Uzalo. She will be playing a highly intelligent police officer known as Constable Biyela. Uzalo is currently the most-watched show in South Africa. The plot follows two boys that were traded at birth and brought up in opposing households. One took to Christianity while the other was raised into a life of crime. Thabisile is adding this to a strong resume of television roles. In the past, she worked on The Queen and Rockville.
Vuyo Joboda is currently working as the producer and director for a brand-new international series. The author from Cape Town is fresh from her successful book tour in the US for her novel 21. The filming for the unnamed series will begin in Dubai. The 23-year-old entertainer will be working on the project under the banner of her company VN Streaming.
Banjong Pisanthanakun - GDH
Asia: Renowned Thai writer and director Banjong Pisanthanakun is working on new serial killer TV series for Amazon. The story is based on an actual serial killer that prowled the streets of Bangkok. Banjong will write and direct all eight episodes of the untitled series. For the past year, production has been steadily underway with no window of release in sight. Banjong is a household name in Thailand after amassing widespread success with his first two feature films Alone (2007) and Shutter (2004).
ZEE5 has made a monumental announcement for its upcoming Tamil series slate. They have over 10 Tamil-language original series on the way including talented filmmaker Vetrimaaran s titled Nilamellam Ratham. Vetrimaaran previously created Interrogation (2016) and is branching out into producing a TV series for the first time.
Xolo Maridueña - Vivien Killilea / Stringer
Latin America: Xolo Maridueña will perform as the lead in the new action-packed HBO Max TV series. Coming off his glory in Cobra Kai, Xolo will be stepping into another thrilling series titled The Ledger. The premise entails a young warrior traveling to right the wrongs his master has caused as he attempts to track him down with only a ledger to guide him. Xolo has plenty going for him with his feature film debut set to occur as the star of the upcoming major superhero film Blue Beetle.
TelevisaUnivision has now launched their new streaming service ViX. The streaming platform will provide Spanish-language entertainment, news, and sports to the U.S. and South American territories. Televisa and Univision completed their merger earlier this January. Their full content library is now available on ViX today.
Europe: Netflix has cast Joy Delima in a leading role for its upcoming Dutch series Dirty Lines. The Dramedy takes place in post-Cold War Amsterdam where a new company known as Teledutch offers anonymous phone sex to the public. Joy will be playing a new and innovative employee at the company. She is known for her work in TV series Flikken Rotterdam (2019). The first season of ‘Dirty Lines’ is now available for viewing on Netflix. The trailer can be seen here.
Swedish drama First Responders will be coming to MHz streaming platform in May. Nadja Halid, known for her work in A Class Apart (2021), holds a pivotal role in the series as a local nurse in the doctor’s ward. The story follows the dangerous circumstances first responders face in Åre, Sweden. The series will arrive on MHz on May 31st. The trailer can be seen here.
