Over the years, British television has showcased its fair share of opulence on screen, evoking images of grand estates from beloved dramas like "Downton Abbey" and "Brideshead Revisited." Yet, in "Wild Cherry," creator Nicôle Lecky aims to cast a fresh light on the ultra-wealthy. This thriller unfolds within a gated community—a sanctuary of grandiose houses and opulent apartments nestled in picturesque Home Counties, where mini-ecosystems thrive and wealth serves as the ultimate currency, regardless of one's origins.
Recalling her drives through a Surrey gated community, Lecky revealed to Deadline, "I'd gaze at those mansions and ponder, 'Goodness, who resides there?' It evoked an England I'd never witnessed before, and I knew I wanted to set something there."
Starring Eve Best and Carmen Ejogo, fresh from their roles in HBO hits "House of the Dragon" and "The Penguin" respectively, "Wild Cherry" centers on Lorna (Ejogo), a self-made, triumphant Black businesswoman from South London who has clawed her way to the top. Best portrays her closest confidante, Juliet, a woman who was born into the exclusive gated community they both call home—a haven where adversity seemed an alien concept—until their children become entwined in a damning scandal at their prestigious private school, forcing Juliet and Lorna to take opposing sides. The ensemble also includes Imogen Faires ("Marcella"), newcomer Amelia May, and Sophie Winkleman ("Peep Show").
Lecky, a double BAFTA winner for her 2022 series "Mood," immersed herself in these communities for research, discovering they were internally referred to as "The Island." She meticulously crafted a map, delineating the residents within and without "The Island," tracing their origins. "The intricate details and the diverse melting pot it presents are novel," Lecky elaborated. "The blend of generational wealth with individuals who've 'struck gold' and ascended socially creates a fascinating intersection of classes."
Elizabeth Kilgarriff, who runs "Wild Cherry" producer Firebird Pictures, highlighted that the show "transports viewers into a realm rarely seen on British TV." She added, "It's a world of stunning interiors, yet refreshingly grounded in reality."
"Wild Cherry" is as much a tale of generations as it is of affluence, with Lecky eager to depict the mother-daughter bond in 2024 with authenticity. Amidst the fog of social media, apps, and peer pressure, "Wild Cherry" strives to "avoid falling prey to clichés concerning青少年on social platforms," noted Kilgarriff.
"In some instances, the teenagers serve as a mirror to their mothers," Lecky added. "It's the mums who have WhatsApp groups, sometimes excluding others from these circles." With this in perspective, Lecky praised Best and Ejogo for "embroiling themselves in the script, bringing immense personal depth and crafting exquisitely nuanced performances."
Lecky sought to steer clear of the tired cliché of casting "twenty-somethings as mothers to teenage daughters," opting instead for Best and Ejogo, aged 53 and 51 respectively. "Immersing yourself in the show transports you into the heart of a family dynamic," Lecky elaborated. Although she believes that "casting accurately should never be deemed rebellious," she acknowledges that the industry still has a considerable journey ahead before seasoned actresses consistently secure the roles they rightfully deserve. "The issue has waned somewhat, but I'd be fascinated to scrutinize the statistics comparing female to male actors," she added thoughtfully.
Her musical drama, Mood, an adaptation of her solo play Superhoe, garnered an array of accolades, including two BAFTAs, triumphing amidst a fiercely competitive category that featured Ben Whishaw's This is Going to Hurt. Lecky drew parallels between Mood and Wild Cherry, highlighting the underlying theme of "exploitation versus liberation." However, after encountering streaming platforms that failed to grasp the intricate details and specificity of Mood during its pitch (the show was co-produced with BBC America), Lecky feels that Wild Cherry holds greater market appeal. In a conversation with Deadline, shortly before BBC Studios presented Wild Cherry to potential buyers at the London TV Screenings, she stated, "This series is a lot more market-friendly – it's meticulously crafted, nuanced, yet exudes a glossy, beautiful, soft, and feminine charm, making it a genuine thriller. Commercial is the operative word here."
Wild Cherry is penned and conceived by Lecky, with Toby MacDonald (of Extraordinary and Fifteen-Love) directing. Executive producers include Kilgarriff, Craig Holleworth for Firebird Pictures, Lisa Walters, Lecky, Macdonald, and Lucy Richer for the BBC. Ado Yoshizaki Cassuto serves as the producer. Currently in production in Surrey, the series is being sold worldwide by BBC Studios.
