Meet the Ghanaians making waves in Netflix’s Christmas film, Jingle Jangle

Netflix is reminding us all that Christmas is around the corner and the release of its new Christmas movie, Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey musical with an all-Black cast has created a lot of buzz, especially in the Ghanaian airwaves since its release.

The movie features the music of Ghana’s Highlife singer Bisa Kdei and the acting and mostly dancing prowess of two young Ghanaian actresses, Diana Babincova and Princess K.

The high life singer’s hit 2018 song, ‘Asew’, was remixed for this movie, a great way to carry on the Afrobeats movement taking over the world. The original version of the song is about a young man addressing his in-law but this remix, ‘Asew Jingle Jangle’, is about a grandchild talking to her grandfather.

Many Ghanaians took to social media to celebrate the win for the motherland. Bisa Kdei also took to his Twitter account celebrating his achievement and acknowledging the two other Ghanaians who featured in the movie.

Diana Babincova is born to a Ghanaian mother and Slovenian father. This talented young actress plays a young Jessica in Jingle Jangle, the daughter of Jeronicus Jangle (Forest Whitaker), the inventor.

The UK-based actress, Diana, is not new to the screens as she has made appearances in BBC’s Christmas Carol and Isolation: The Series. She has also starred in a Fly Emirates advert in 2019. Her movies ‘Don’t Breathe 2’ and ‘Becoming Everything’ is set for release in 2021.

Babincova has been performing for her family since age three. She is a student of the Sylvia Young Theatre School and is a bearer of The Stage 2020 Scholarship worth over £70,000 that caters to her training till age 16.

This is, however, the first feature film for dancer Princess K with Ghanaian heritage. Her skillful dance moves are seen in the scene where Bisa Kdei’s ‘Asew’ remix plays in the movie.

The 11-year-old has made appearances on CBeebies BBC and performed on big world stages and at concerts of prominent Afrobeats artistes like Davido, Yemi Alade and Ghanaian-UK grime artist Stormzy.

Princess K, who also lives in the UK, has been dancing from age six and is part of a dance group ‘Dem3Dancers’.

Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey musical is a feel-good story about toymaker Jeronicus Jangle whose popularity and fame capsized thirty years ago when his apprentice, Gustafson (Keegan-Michael Key). made away with his book of toy blueprints.

The Victorian-set musical with Sharon Martin’s Victoriana hairstyles inspired by natural afro hair follows sweet and kind Journey (Madalen Mills) as she tries to save her grandfather from losing the Christmas spirit and his reputation as the greatest toymaker of all time.

The film, which was released on November 13, also features new music from Usher and John Legend.