New series ‘Washington Black’ premieres with Nova Scotia as a backdrop

“Washington Black,” which was partly filmed in Nova Scotia, is making its debut on Wednesday.

Washington Black is a powerful new series with Hollywood star power and a strong East Coast connection. The eight-part limited series is based on the acclaimed novel by Canadian author Esi Edugyan. British actor Ernest Kingsley Jr. stars in the title role, opposite Emmy Award winner Sterling K. Brown.

“Washington Black follows the story of Washington Black, this, young, intelligent, spirited young man is born in his plantation,” said Kingsley Jr. “And after a series of events, he manages to escape the plantation in Barbados - he goes on this, larger than life adventure.”

“My character’s name is Medwin Harris, and he’s sort of the de facto mayor of this free township of Black people in Halifax,” said Brown. “He’s taken it upon himself to create a community and a family of folks to look out for one another. Washington flees to this place and sort of takes him under his wing, and he becomes a mentor of sorts to the young man.”

The series stands apart from traditional narratives.

“In terms of stories that are told with people who start on plantations… they tend to focus on the pain and the hardship,” said Brown. “And I’ve heard from my community in particular that they’re not just interested in pain and hardship. They’re interested in joy and perseverance and transcendence. I said, ‘Oh, what a wonderful opportunity to flip this traditional narrative on its ear and tell a story that is truly beautiful.’”

Part of the series was filmed in Nova Scotia – an experience the actors say left a lasting impression.

“It was absolutely incredible,” said Kingsley Jr. “The community, the locations…”

The actors also embraced the local culture - even sampling iconic East Coast dishes.

“Poutine is nice, ”Kingsley Jr. said. “And donairs… but don’t overdo it on the sauce,” said Brown “It’s sweet. Very, very sweet.”

But it wasn’t just the food that stood out.

“Walking by the water in Halifax is one of my favourite things to do,” said Brown. “I probably walked five miles a day because it’s just so picturesque and beautiful. And the people - honest to goodness - could not have been more kind. There’s a certain freedom that I felt in that space that I don’t always feel in the States. It was a joy to be up there.”

Washington Black premieres today on Disney+ in Canada.