Love letter to the American Dream

Little America writers say the Apple TV+ show focuses on people, not politics, in telling the true stories of immigrants in the United States

One episode tells the true story of a lonely immigrant from Nigeria (played by Conphidance) who finds an emotional connection to his new home through cowboy culture. PHOTO: APPLE TV+
Another episode tells the story of a young Indian boy (played by Eshan Inamdar, standing) who seeks the help of First Lady Laura Bush (played by Sherilyn Fenn, far right) after his parents are deported and he is left to run the family motel in Utah. PHOTO: APPLE TV+
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An anthology series based on the real stories of immigrants to the United States, Little America is produced by top Hollywood comedy scribes Kumail Nanjiani (The Big Sick, 2017), Alan Yang (Master Of None, 2015 to 2017) and Lee Eisenberg (The Office, 2005 to 2010) - all of whom are the children of immigrants themselves.

But, despite the polarising debate about immigration in the US today, the team behind the new Apple TV+ show say they are not trying to push a political agenda with their uplifting tales of immigrants struggling to make it and fit in - though some people will no doubt read it that way.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on February 10, 2020, with the headline Love letter to the American Dream. Subscribe