Creators:
Steve McQueenDirected by:
Steve McQueenCinematography:
Shabier KirchnerComposer:
Mica LeviCast:
Thomas Coombes, Gershwyn Eustache Jnr, Malachi Kirby, Jodhi May, Shaun Parkes, Rochenda Sandall, Letitia Wright, John Boyega, Nigel Boyle, Gary Beadle (more)Episodes(5)
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Mangrove (E01)
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Lovers Rock (E02)
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Red, White and Blue (E03)
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Alex Wheatle (E04)
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Education (E05)
Plots(1)
Created and directed by Oscar-winning director Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave), the anthology series Small Axe tells personal stories about London's West Indian community from the late-1960's to mid-1980's. The title is derived from a Jamaican proverb which has resonance throughout the Caribbean, "if you are the big tree, we are the small axe". Small Axe is also the title of a Bob Marley song from The Wailers' 1973 album Burnin'. It means that relatively marginal or small voices of dissent can successfully challenge more powerful voices. Steve McQueen says: "I felt these stories needed to be shared. I wanted to re-live, re-evaluate and investigate the journeys that my parents and the first generation of West Indians went on to deliver me here today calling myself a Black British person." (HBO Europe)
(more)Cast
![Thomas Coombes](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/167/291/167291200_f81f87.jpg)
Thomas Coombes
Best series:
Wallander (2008) (series)
Slow Horses (2022) (series)
White House Farm (2020) (series)
![Malachi Kirby](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/160/826/160826650_1ef6aa.jpg)
Malachi Kirby
UK
Best series:
Black Mirror (2011) (series)
Doctor Who (2005) (series)
Roots (2016) (series)
![Jodhi May](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/164/319/164319637_67db02.jpg)
Jodhi May
UK
Best series:
Game of Thrones (2011) (series)
Genius (2017) (series)
The Crimson Field (2014) (series)
![Shaun Parkes](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/159/304/159304887_e14ce6.jpg)
Shaun Parkes
UK
Best series:
The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies (2014) (series)
Line of Duty (2012) (series)
Doctor Who (2005) (series)
Rochenda Sandall
Best series:
Line of Duty (2012) (series)
Doctor Who (2005) (series)
Broken (2017) (series)
![Letitia Wright](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/166/149/166149504_369e98.jpg)
Letitia Wright
Guyana
Best series:
Black Mirror (2011) (series)
Doctor Who (2005) (series)
Top Boy (2011) (series)
![John Boyega](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/164/319/164319049_92eead.jpg)
John Boyega
UK
Best series:
24: Live Another Day (2014) (series)
Watership Down (2018) (series)
Major Lazer (2015) (series)
Nigel Boyle
Best series:
Peep Show (2003) (series)
Line of Duty (2012) (series)
Home Fires (2015) (series)
Gary Beadle
UK
Best series:
Hustle (2004) (series)
Andor (2022) (series)
Patrick Melrose (2018) (series)
![Jack Lowden](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/164/847/164847742_98d990.png)
Jack Lowden
UK
Best series:
War and Peace (2016) (series)
Wolf Hall (2015) (series)
Slow Horses (2022) (series)
![Alex Jennings](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/158/307/158307287_bf845e.gif)
Alex Jennings
UK
Best series:
The Crown (2016) (series)
Mr Bates vs. The Post Office (2024) (series)
Silk (2011) (series)
![Richie Campbell](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/160/313/160313383_10c577.jpg)
Richie Campbell
Best series:
Top Boy (2011) (series)
Small Axe (2020) (series)
Breathless (2013) (series)
![Jumayn Hunter](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/158/400/158400253_dbdfeb.jpg)
![Sam Spruell](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/165/373/165373893_fd410e.jpg)
Sam Spruell
UK
Best series:
Fargo (2014) (series)
Luther (2010) (series)
Doctor Who (2005) (series)
![Joseph Quinn](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/167/082/167082067_32efad.jpg)
Joseph Quinn
UK
Best series:
Stranger Things (2016) (series)
Small Axe (2020) (series)
Dickensian (2015) (series)
![Samuel West](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/162/387/162387542_3cbefa.png)
Samuel West
UK
Best series:
The Crown (2016) (series)
All Creatures Great and Small (2020) (series)
The Hollow Crown (2012) (series)
![Richard Cordery](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/161/869/161869737_9c413f.jpg)
Richard Cordery
Best series:
The Crown (2016) (series)
Harley and the Davidsons (2016) (series)
Garrow's Law (2009) (series)
![Michelle Greenidge](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/165/209/165209468_0a2ade.jpg)
Michelle Greenidge
Best series:
It's a Sin (2021) (series)
After Life (2019) (series)
Doctor Who (2005) (series)