‘Westworld’ & ‘The Punisher’ Star Ben Barnes Joins BBC’s ‘Gold Digger’
Ben Barnes has been cast opposite Julia Ormond in the new BBC One thriller ‘Gold Digger’ it has been announced.
‘Gold Digger’ is written and created by Marnie Dickens (‘Thirteen’) and follows the story for a woman falling in love with a much younger man and the effect it has on her already damaged family. Barnes plays Benjamin Golding, the thirty-something copywriter with a shrouded past who becomes involved with an older woman Julia Day (Ormond). As the series progresses the impact their unconventional relationship has on her family is explored and the secrets of their past are revealed. Has Julia finally found the happiness she’s always deserved? Or is Benjamin really the gold digger they think he is?
Barnes has recently been starring as wayward son Logan in HBO’s epic drama ‘Westworld’, and as ‘Billy Russo’ opposite
Jon Bernthal in Netflix/Marvel series ‘The Punisher’. He previously played Prince Caspian in ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’ film series. This will be his first role on the BBC in more than a decade.
“I’m thrilled to be joining the exciting cast and creative team in telling this unexpected, modern relationship story with the opportunity to play such a complex and enigmatic character,” commented the actor on landing the role. “Having Ben Barnes play the ‘gold digger’ of our title is a real coup,” adds creator Marnie Dickens. “I’m very much looking forward to working with him.”
Tim Bradley (‘Unforgotten’, ‘Death in Paradise’) will produce and Vanessa Caswill (‘Little Women’, ‘Thirteen’) will direct the first three episodes. Laura Mackie and Sally Haynes will exec produce for Mainstreet Pictures who are making the drama, with Elizabeth Kilgarriff for BBC One and Marnie Dickens.
“We’re very excited that Ben Barnes is joining this fantastic show to play opposite Julia Ormond,” comments Elizabeth Kilgarriff, Senior Commissioning Editor at BBC. “Their characters’ relationship at the heart of the series promises many unexpected twists and turns and I can’t wait to see it come to life.”
‘Gold Digger’ will air on BBC One. Date and time TBC.
