With the introduction of a brand new trailer, Prime Video has offered viewers a fresh look at the upcoming six-part series, Riches. In the first few seconds of the teaser, we learn that the cosmetics firm at the core of the new series drama has been a go-to for Black British women for the better part of two decades. After father Stephen Richards’s death, it reveals family strife about the future of the Richards’ firm (played by Hugh Quarshie). The mounting tension is depicted in a montage, with each individual certain that they should be in charge. Deborah Ayorinde’s Nina Richards says at the end of the trailer that her relatives will have to battle her to take over “her” firm.
This is only a teaser, but the emphasis on history, family, and drama have me interested. Ayorinde, who previously played Lucky Emory on Prime Video’s Them, Dana on NBC’s The Village, and Candace Miller on Netflix’s Marvel series Luke Cage, will take the lead role in the series. The patriarch of the family is played by Quarshie, who has an extensive acting resume that includes roles such as Father Joseph Ennis in John Deery’s 2003 film Conspiracy of Silence, Captain Quarsh Panaka in George Lucas’s 1999 film Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, and Father Gus in John Carpenter’s 1989 film The Church (directed by Michele Soavi).
In addition to Sarah Niles as Claudia Richards, the cast also includes Adeyinka Akinrinade as Alesha Richards, Ola Orebiyi as Gus Richards, Nneka Okoye as Wanda Richards, and Emmanuel Imani as Simon Richards. Abby Ajayi is the mind behind the game Riches. She will not only direct episodes but also write and produce for the show. Ajayi has written for shows including “Inventing Anna” on Netflix and “How to Get Away with Murder” on ABC. Besides Darcia Martin and Sebastian Thiel, the show’s directors will include a few more.
Greenacre Films’ executive producers are Nadine Marsh-Edwards and Amanda Jenks. The sitcom will also have two female executive producers in Alison Owen and Alison Carpenter of Monumental Television. Another producer on board is Yvonne Francis. For Riches, Amazon Studios and ITV collaborated on production. For British audiences, it will debut on ITVX before hitting Prime Video. Distributing the series internationally on behalf of Greenacre Films will be Banijay Rights. Riches, a six-part series, will make its debut on Prime Video on December 2.