The Grio
Fatimah Asghar and Samantha Bailey’s web series, Brown Girls, was a hit after just one season went online, so much so that they have now signed a development deal with HBO for a television show based on the series.
“The web series world felt like a safe space where I could experiment and explore all the complexities of being a human. Black and brown people and queer folks don’t get that opportunity or rarely get that opportunity in TV,” Bailey told Elle. “Representation is real and I think the more these shows get greenlit, the more creators get to show these different aspects of people. We’re so used to being pigeonholed and having these one-dimensional characters.”
“The web series is a small, small slice into the potential of the show. I want [the TV show] to be very Chicago-focused and queer folks of color–focused,” Asghar told Elle. “And to have women of color and queer people of color be the protagonists and the antagonists in their own story. That’s very important to me … The people of Brown Girls are not caricatures.”
The web series starred Nabila Hossain as Leila, a South Asian Muslim writer exploring her queer identity, as well as Sonia Denis as Patricia, a black musician trying to balance her passions with her job and relationships.
“The young women remind me so much of the interracial friendships I have and how they really help shape the woman I am,” Bailey told The FADER in February. “It’s rare for us to see women of color of different ethnicities sharing space together, especially in a loving way-without much conflict.”
