Get ready for a heartwarming dose of holiday cheer, South African style in A Wesleys South African Christmas! The Wesleys are back the third time around, and this time, they’re bringing their unique blend of family fun and laughter to the exotic location of Durban.
When a business deal takes an unexpected turn, Todd (played by Terayle Hill) finds himself spending Christmas in sunny South Africa, scrambling to finalize a crucial deal. But with the Wesley family in tow, his trip was anything but business as usual. Directed by Patricia Cuffie-Jones, the underlying focus of the film was black joy within the black family.
“We ended up doing it because we felt like black love was missing from television,” says executive producer Bree West. “When you do cute little romantic comedies or Christmas movies, it just feels good, right? Showcasing black love is important, so then we realized we could create Black Love if we could tell a Christmas story because if it’s wrapped in a Christmas bow, then it’s not a rom-com or a romantic movie, it’s more of a Christmas movie, but you’re still perpetuating the message of Black love.”
“It’s the representation of black family,” says Dorien Wilson, who plays patriarch Brian Wesley. “So many times we have conflicts in our family and they don’t get resolved. We talk about things, work them out, and you see how we come back together. That doesn’t always happen. There’s usually a house divided, but we open up the dialogue and I think all the characters are relatable. So, you can point it out and be like, ‘Oh, there’s my auntie right there. You know, she’d be drinking all the time.’ or whatever the situation, but you get to see black love, in many different aspects of the project.”
“I try to do things that I know are gonna resonate positively for my community, especially for young black men,” explains TC Carson, who plays Marcus Elkins in the film. “We have enough of the alternative versions of us. It’s crucial to choose projects that uplift and inspire. We need stories that promote happiness, provide valuable knowledge, and foster self-esteem. As artists, we have a responsibility to portray positive images of who we are and what we can achieve.”
“For me, I have been very fortunate and it may be a hindrance as well,” Dorien adds. “I’ve been fortunate to portray African Americans in a more positive light. Instead of playing the junkie or a drug dealer, I’ve been cast as lawyers, doctors, and professors. It’s important to be able to portray a head of household who is present and raising their children, now adults, with love and support. Showing this strong family bond is crucial. That’s something special.”
“The generational story, I think, is important, especially for a Christmas movie,” says Jasmine Guy, who plays matriarch Sylvia Wesley. “Multiple people from the family can watch it at the same time, so I love that about our movie whether we’re in South Africa or not. We always have that and the way I feel like as people, especially now with our phones, we’re not learning how to talk to each other and understand that just because you raise your voice doesn’t mean I’m fighting. People will be like ‘Y’all are always arguing’ and I’m like, “No. We’re just loud and I’m trying to make a point.'”
TC explains the importance of the film’s location. “The importance for me is to create the space for us to have a conversation,” he says “We’ve been taught so many things that are negative about Africa and to be able to go over and experience Africa on this level to work with the cast and crew from Durban, South Africa, and feel that love, to feel that connection. I urge everybody to go. It’s not what you’ve been taught it is. It’s something different and they love us. They want us to come back home. They wanna see us. So it was like we felt all of that when we were there.”
“I think another thing that’s special about this project is that we went to Zululand and had the Queen Mother, the Prince, and the Princess in the film,” Bree added. “Her Royal Highness, the Queen Mother of the Zulu Nation, which is the largest nation in South Africa. They’ve never allowed cameras from outside their culture onto their land. However, they made an exception for our team. Because we were Black, and after months of conversations with the prince, they trusted us to represent the Zulu Nation respectfully. He came from the sacred crowd to have dinner with me, ensuring I would represent the Zulu Nation in the way they wanted. They are very protective of their image, but after our meeting, he reassured the Queen Mother that we were trustworthy.”
In conclusion, Bree thinks the audience will love the film. “They will understand the movie, even if they haven’t seen the first two films,” she says. “I think viewers will enjoy it even more having seen the previous films because they’ll appreciate how the characters have evolved and grown into their own.”
Expect festive chaos, hilarious mishaps, and a whole lot of love as the Wesleys navigate the holidays in a new and exciting setting on November 21st, exclusively on BET+.
Shamika Sanders-Sykes
