Pop Culturalist Chats with Little Sista’s Charmaine Bingwa

The most worthwhile things in life are often the most difficult. Just ask Charmaine Bingwa. For her latest project, Little Sista, Charmaine wrote, produced, co-directed, and starred in the digital web series. The result? One of the most rewarding experiences of her life. Pop Culturalist had the opportunity to sit down with Charmaine to chat about Little Sista, the important message it’s spreading about inclusion, and how she juggled so many hats!

PC: Tell us about your new series, Little Sista.
Charmaine: Little Sista is a series I starred in, wrote, produced and co-directed about a commitment-phobiac who must learn to grow up when she is paired with an at-risk youth in a Big Brother, Big Sister program. It’s a project very close to my heart. It simply started out as a way to collaborate with friends but has gone on to be selected in many film festivals around the world and won Best Screenplay at the LGBT Toronto Film Festival! I wrote/channeled it within a week, though it still took a solid 50 rewrites. It’s a personal story that I think most of us would relate to in our early 20’s. And I’m so glad I was able to tell a story that featured minorities and helped show that despite our differences, we are all the same.

PC: It’s been well-received on the festival circuit. What do you think it is about the story that has resonated with audiences?
Charmaine: I think what resonates the most is all the characters are trying their very best. Much of the comedy lives in their absurd attempts to do the right thing that often fall short (particularly my character), but they all have hearts of gold. I also think the diverse cast and story is something we aren’t used to seeing in more conventional channels, which I think has been refreshing to audiences.

PC: Was it a challenge wearing so many hats?
Charmaine: YES! Oh my word, yes! I’m so glad I did it, but not sure I would have had I known what I know now. [laughs] Writing was the easy part as I could do that in isolation and am not sensitive about re-writes. A long pre-production period and working with great people helped to take the pressure off. But it was huge—7 episodes, 35 actors, 35 extras and 17 crew members. It was a lot of phone calls, late nights, and meetings with takeout at my place. But there was also a lot of laughs, hijinks, and fun with friends, too. The hardest thing was to remember when the camera was rolling, my only job at that moment was to act—that was a hard separation to make.

PC: How early on in the process did you decide that the show would be a web series? What are some of the challenges and benefits of that medium?
Charmaine: I actually think it provided great freedom—there was no pressure to introduce the A storyline and wrap up the B storyline by the commercial break. The reason we chose web is because it’s a little edgier than what is on network television in terms of humor and format. I also wanted the structure to be based around the arc, not the arc based around the structure. In my opinion, it helped it to be more organic and truthful. The challenge is the web series market is very saturated now, so it can be hard to stand out which is why I’m so happy that LGBTI content champions, Revry, have picked up Little Sista as a Revry Original series and are launching it in July globally for everyone’s viewing pleasure at revry.tv.

PC: How did you prepare to step into your character’s shoes?
Charmaine: The character’s physicality was so distinct for me, so as soon as I spent some time walking around as her—BAM! I was in. It’s so fun to play someone so irresponsible, reckless, and explosive. It didn’t take long to transform.

PC: What do you hope audiences take away from watching the series?
Charmaine: I hope they get a laugh, because the world is a very serious place right now. I also hope they view all relationships as valid, squeeze their loves ones tight and become more accepting of people’s differences. But, mostly laugh lots.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Charmaine: Lady Dynamite

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Charmaine: The Matrix

PC: Favorite book?
Charmaine: Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Charmaine: Atlantis by Lally Katz

PC: Favorite social media platform?
Charmaine: Instagram for sure!

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Charmaine: Ludwig van Beethoven

PC: Hidden talent?
Charmaine: I can sing.

Make sure to follow Charmaine on Twitter and Instagram, and catch Little Sista this July on Revry.

Photo Credit: Paul Smith