— Beverly Jenkins (@authorMsBev) November 20, 2019 This is the first official deal that has been made since the partnership between The Ripped Bodice and Sony Pictures Television was established in 2018, and I literally jumped up and down at my desk when I saw.
— Sony Pictures Television 📺 (@SPTV) September 12, 2018 Forbidden is the first in a series of three books about Eddy, who at the start of the story is near death from exposure and thirst in the Nevada desert, and Rhine, the white-passing businessman who nurses her back to health. The pair don’t get along immediately, and along with their own developing relationship, the two have to individually figure out what they want from life. I would love to see the series not only continue the story into Breathless and Tempest, but also maybe give us some background via Through the Storm, which was most of our introduction to Rhine Fontaine and his sister Sable. (And then, why not just add the whole LeVeq family to the bunch and keep it going for-e-ver.) Like I said, this is a big deal. And will hopefully open the door for more Black-created properties—especially in romance; Reluctant Royals, anyone?—to be optioned for film and television. While we have more visibility in some circles, the number of Black authors and other authors of color being traditionally published is disgustingly small. The same can be said for romantic movies of all kinds, but especially romantic comedies and period film. Just look at the newest adaptation of Emma with what appears to be its all-white cast (especially since the only thing we’ve wanted in an Austen adaptation since Brandon Tyler’s twitter thread has been Persuasion starring Ruth Negga and Idris Elba). Or the most recent film with a protagonist of color that was purported to be a romantic comedy…and then turned out to not follow romcom convention. But this news, on top of the casting news from the Shondaland production of Julia Quinn’s Very White Bridgertons series, brings more hope for POC representation in historical romantic film and television in the future. We love to see it. But please, for the love of kissing, cast a white-passing Black actor as Rhine.
