The Long Song
Hayley Atwell stars as a cruel plantation owner as slavery comes to an end…
The final days of slavery in 19thcentury Jamaica is the backdrop of this gripping three-part drama, telling the story of strong-willed young slave July (Tamara Lawrance), who works on a plantation owned by her cruel mistress Caroline Mortimer (Hayley Atwell). But both July and Caroline’s lives are changed forever when new plantation overseer Robert Goodwin (Jack Lowden) arrives, determined to improve the slaves’ lives. Lenny Henry also stars as July’s fellow slave Godfrey.
She may have played the heroine in BBC1’s period drama Howards End and superhero series Agent Carter, but Hayley Atwell has never played anyone as villainous as Caroline Mortimer!
Set in 1831, during the last days of slavery, this three-part drama tells the story of a slave called July, who works for Caroline on her family’s sugar plantation in Jamaica…
Desperate action
‘Caroline is a monster and that’s why I wanted to play her!’ says Hayley. ‘She’s cruel and selfish, but also ridiculous. She lashes out and bullies the slaves because she’s afraid of them.’
Although lady’s maid July (Tamara Lawrance) has to witness Caroline’s tantrums, she doesn’t mind because her position in the house gives her a higher status than the slaves in the fields. Yet when a rebellion begins to spread on Christmas Day, a heart-wrenching incident forces July to take drastic action, before a new overseer, Robert Goodwin (Jack Lowden), arrives on the estate.
Beastly behaviour
‘When an uprising grips the island, her life is turned upside down,’ says Hayley. ‘Then Robert takes over the plantation and changes July and Caroline’s lives for ever.’
Hayley was also thrilled to star alongside Sir Lenny
Henry, who plays July’s fellow slave Godfrey.
‘Working with Sir Lenny was a dream come true,’ says Hayley. ‘There’s a scene where Caroline is beastly to his character and before we filmed it I told him how much I loved watching his shows. He laughed and said: “Don’t tell me that now!”’