Director: Jim Hecht
This limited series traces a turbulent chapter in the life of Black Panther Party co-founder Huey P. Newton, built around his flight to Cuba with help from an unlikely Hollywood ally.
What is The Big Cigar about?
The story follows Huey P. Newton during a period when he faced prosecution and needed to leave the country to avoid arrest. He finds an unexpected source of support in Bert Schneider, the Hollywood producer behind Easy Rider, along with several other well-known figures sympathetic to his cause. Their combined effort to get Newton safely to Cuba forms the spine of the series, moving between the tension of the escape plan and the wider political and cultural currents swirling around it. The series draws on real historical events and figures, situating Newton's personal risk within the broader activism and radical politics of the era without losing sight of the individual stakes involved.
Cast & crew
André Holland stars as Huey P. Newton, with Alessandro Nivola as Bert Schneider; Tiffany Boone, P.J. Byrne, Marc Menchaca, Moses Ingram, Rebecca Dalton and Olli Haaskivi round out the ensemble. Jim Hecht directs the 2024 American production, with episodes running about 40 minutes.
Context & significance
The series belongs to a run of recent biographical dramas revisiting the radical political movements of the late 1960s and early 1970s, using one figure's story to open a window onto a wider historical moment. By centering the Cuba escape rather than attempting a full biography, the show narrows its focus to a specific, tense stretch of time, letting period detail and the pressure of the situation carry the narrative instead of broad historical summary.
Where & how to watch
The series is available on K-Time with Persian dubbing and Persian subtitles, letting viewers choose the option that suits them. This page can be read freely without an account; watching the series requires logging into K-Time, a platform built with Farsi-first streaming for Persian-speaking viewers abroad.