Jamaican actress lands lead role among stars from Nigeria, Hollywood
Published:Thursday | November 16, 2023 | 12:09 AM
Jamaican actress Sherando Ferril has landed the lead role in the soon-to-be-released movie Choke Hold, which is set to premiere in St Martin on November 25 at the Caribbean Cinema.
Choke Hold focuses on the international issue of gender-based violence and sees Ferril playing Victoria, an emotionally and physically abused wife and mother married to Mike, a policeman played by Nollywood star Enyinna Nwigwe.
Based on a true story, the film promises to be an emotional roller coaster, with the audience loving and hating the characters equally and leaving with a sense of ‘I know somebody that has happened to’.
Ferril, who has numerous best actress awards under her belt, is the only Jamaican represented in the film. She expressed that this is more than just a role for her.
“This feels mission focused. Gender-based violence is so prevalent globally and any opportunity to shed a spotlight on it, even through a character, is a great place to be. I feel a huge sense of responsibility because this character is from a real person’s experience, and to carry that weight and add to it other people who have experienced gender based violence makes this even more important.”
She is joined on screen by Nollywood star Eyinna Nwigwe, who is a staple in African films and TV shows globally and can be seen in films such as The Wedding Party 2, Eagle Wings and Badamasi on Netflix; and Hollywood actress Brely Evans, who is currently starring in Carl Weber’s Family Business on BET+. The main cast is completed with Simeon Henderson and Oremyi Kareem, both actors from the US.
The writer/director is Joel Ayuk who lives and works in St Martin, where the film was shot. Choke Hold is set to have global premieres in Jamaica on December 3, Nigeria in January 2024, and the United States in the middle of next year.