Nordic noir heading to Britain’s shores
ANNA FRIEL is to star in a Scandi-style drama set in London, as a detective on the trail of a cold-hearted killer.
The Rochdale-born actress will lead the eightpart ITV drama, called Marcella, playing the eponymous heroine.
Fast-rising newcomer Florence Pugh will take the part of Cara, another of the s h ow’s p i vo ta l characters.
Pugh was part of the ensemble of young women who appeared in director Carol Morley’s film The Falling, which won acclaim at last year’s BFI London Film Festival. The young actress is currently filming Lady Macbeth for film-maker William Oldroyd and producer Fodhla Cronin O’Reilly.
Marcella has become one of the hottest television projects around because of the involvement of Hans Rosenfeldt, chief architect of The Bridge, who was contracted to create an original drama for ITV which would have the Nordic Noir flavours of that show, as well as other Scandinavian TV thrillers such as Wallander.
Marcella is a detective who dropped out of the force to have a family, but with her private life in crisis, she rejoins the Met and is given the task of solving a serial murder investigation.
While she doggedly works on the case, she has to deal with matters involving her 13-year-old daughter, plus various other family issues.
Director Charles Martin, who made an episode of the English-speaking Wallander with Kenneth Branagh, will direct Marcella when shooting begins next month.
The co- creator of the series, Nicola Larder, is working with Rosenfeldt and producers at Buccaneer Media to cast this major drama, which will be filming through until March 2016.