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The Legacy Lounge, a new 4-part series now streaming on CBC Gem, is where culture meets conversation. Each episode will honour an influential Black Canadian celebrity whose work has had a lasting impact in their field, on culture and their community.
What is The Legacy Lounge?
Born from The Legacy Awards, The Legacy Lounge is a reimagined format that continues to honour the legacy and achievements of Black Canadians. The series explores each honouree’s journey — from personal struggles to creative breakthroughs — and reflects on the legacy they’re building, in their own words. It’s a deeper storytelling experience that highlights Black excellence across Canada.
Because the hosts are peers themselves, the conversation focuses on a shared experience making the audience feel like they’re listening to a private conversation.
The series is a behind the curtain look at the people who have shaped Canadian culture, making the celebration more intimate and accessible to viewers across the country.
Who is hosting The Legacy Lounge?
Shamier Anderson (John Wick) and Stephan James (If Beale Street Could Talk) are two brothers and actors from Scarborough, Ontario who founded The Black Academy, a national organization to showcase Black talent in Canada. “What we want to do here is really let people know that we want to celebrate, elevate, and inspire both the Anglophone community and the Francophone community of Black talent across this country,” Anderson told CBC Arts.
Filmed at Toronto’s King & Bay Bespoke Solutions, the series also includes appearances by Kevin “k-os” Brereton, Christian Thompson, Barb Godfrey, Weyni Mengesha, Walied Soliman, Clement Virgo, Adrian Holmes, Willow Smith, Ann Merriam, O-T Fagbenle and Andrew “King Bach” Bachelor who join the brothers in a wide-ranging conversation with the honourees.
Who are the honourees featured on The Legacy Lounge?
Fefe Dobson, Wes Hall and Amanda Brugel are featured in The Legacy Lounge (Sarah Del Angel)
The series begins with prominent Canadian businessman, philanthropist, entrepreneur and investor on CBC Dragons’ Den, Wes Hall who talks about his journey from rural Jamaica to Bay Street. “My Blackness is my superpower,” says Hall, “if you walk into a room and you’re the only one that looks like you there, how could that not be an advantage to you?”
In Episode 2, multi-platinum recording artist Fefe Dobson shares how she found her voice and carved her own lane in pop-punk music. “I remember in elementary school, they asked me, “what do you want to be when you grow up?” [I said] “I want to be a famous singer” or something. And they were like, “So, what is your plan B?” I remember that. And I said, “I don’t have a plan B.” It’s just what it is,’ she shares.
Then, international award-winning actor and producer Amanda Brugel (Dark Matter, The Handmaid’s Tale) talks about journey from a childhood ‘movie brat’ to celebrated actor. “I’ve never, ever wanted to be the lead. I’ve never felt that I deserved to be the lead,” she says, “but I felt like I deserved to be someone with integrity, someone with a first and last name and I wanted to perpetuate a fully formed, nuanced woman.”
The Basement Gang (L-R) Kadeem Hemmings, Nathaniel James, Nicholas McDonald (Sarah Del Angel)
The series wraps with Nathaniel James, Kadeem Hemmings and Nicholas McDonald of the viral TikTok dance trio, Basement Gang who talk about how their dance sessions turned into a viral movement celebrating Black joy and community. “That became more of our trademark. A daily dose of serotonin. So even when there were some days when you didn’t really want to dance, but it’s like, you could really do it today, ‘cause you’re bringing so much joy to people,” says McDonald.
Where can I watch The Legacy Lounge in Canada?
The 4-part series The Legacy Lounge is streaming on CBC Gem now.
The series will also be available during Black History Month on CBC’s YouTube channel with weekly episodes beginning Monday, February 2; and on CBC TV at 7:30 p.m. (8 p.m. NT) on Fridays beginning February 27.
CBC Gem is available for free as an App for iOS, tvOS, Fire TV, Android TV, Android phones and tablets, LG and Samsung Smart TVs, Roku, and Xbox One/S/X.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.cbc.ca ’
