After the whirlwind success of the tv adaptation of Sally Rooney’s Normal People, fans everywhere were beside themselves with excitement when the news came that Sally award-winning debut novel ‘Conversations with Friends’ would also be adapted for the screen.
Now, award-winning production company Element Pictures has today announced the highly anticipated casting for the BBC and Hulu TV adaptation.
Alison Oliver, an emerging talent from Lir Academy (whose graduates include Normal People’s Paul Mescal) will play Frances, Sasha Lane (American Honey, The Miseducation of Cameron Post) will star as Bobbi, Joe Alwyn (The Favourite, Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk) as Nick and Jemima Kirke (Sex Education, Girls) as Melissa, in this unique series that is both a complex coming of age drama and a very modern love story.
Conversations with Friends follows Frances (Alison Oliver), a 21-year-old college student, as she navigates a series of relationships that force her to confront her own vulnerabilities for the first time.
Filming will take place this year in Dublin, Belfast and international locations yet to be confirmed, with the Oscar-nominated director at the helm of Normal People, Lenny Abrahamson returning and sharing the directorial duties with Leanne Welham.
“Lenny’s deep affinity for Sally’s writing and talent for finding actors to bring her fictional creations to life played a huge part in bringing Normal People so successfully to screen,” revealed Piers Wenger, Director of BBC Drama. “n casting Alison, Sasha, Joe and Jemima, that same flair and instinct is in evidence and we cant wait to see how they will bring Frances, Bobbi, Nick and Melissa to life.”
While Executive Producer and Director Lenny Abrahamson shared, “I feel so excited to be collaborating with four such superb actors to bring Sally’s brilliant novel to the screen.”
Conversations with Friends will premiere on BBC Three and air on BBC One, next year on the BBC, Hulu and RTÉ.