Kelly Marie Tran and Yara Shahidi are partnering up to host a fictional adventure podcast titled Cultureverse.
The 12-part series will be produced by Studio Ochenta in conjunction with podcast company TRAX from PRX.
According to Deadline, each podcast episode will center on children who “encounter extraordinary creatures, myths, or folk characters from their diverse cultural backgrounds and embark on a journey of self-discovery.”
In the first episode, a group of kids go camping. One of the kids, who is Jamaican, tells a Jamaican folktale of a creature named the Rolling Calf. This creature haunts people who choose not to follow the rules. At some point, the Rolling Calf shows up in real life and sets the scene for an exciting adventure.
Many of the stories will follow folktales and legends from various locations like Mexico, India, China, Nigeria, the Cherokee Nation, and more. Different languages like Spanish, Cantonese, Korean, and Vietnamese will also be spoken throughout the series.
Tran and Shahidi spoke to Deadline about how excited they are to work together and with Studio Ochenta/PRX for the project. Tran said, “These stories not only lift the voices of historically marginalized communities, they are also full of one thing the world always needs more of: magic. If Cultureverse were a real place, I’d want to live there.”
Shahidi said, “I’m proud to co-host a show featuring storytelling underscored by curiosity and adventure, that provides bridges between cultures. Cultureverse also speaks to me personally. I was raised with an appreciation of the cultures that make up our global community, and I can’t wait to share that experience with listeners everywhere.”
Cultureverse launches on June 24. You can find out more information and listen to the trailer here.
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