Jack O’Connell Joins Colin Farrell In BBC Four-Part Thriller ‘The North Water’
Bafta award-winner Jack O’Connell has signed on for the lead role in the BBC Two four-part thriller ‘The North Water’ opposite the previously announced Colin Farrell the BBC has revealed today. The mini-series is being adapted and directed by multi-award-winning Andrew Haigh (‘Lean on Pete’, ‘Looking’, ‘Weekend’).
Based on the critically acclaimed novel from Ian McGuire, the series is set in the UK and the ice floes of the Arctic in the late 1850s. ‘The North Water’ tells the story of Patrick Sumner (O’Connell), a disgraced ex-army surgeon who signs up as ship’s doctor on a whaling expedition to the Arctic. On board he meets Henry Drax (Farrell), the harpooner, a brutish killer whose amorality has been shaped to fit the harshness of his world. Hoping to escape the horrors of his past, Sumner finds himself on an ill-fated journey with a murderous psychopath. In search of redemption, his story becomes a harsh struggle for survival in the Arctic wasteland.
The original novel has topped critic’s lists around the world and was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize and named A New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice. The story is being brought to life by See-Saw Films, firmly established for delivering multi-award-winning mini-series and working with extraordinary writers and directors such as Jane Campion for ‘Top of the Lake’ and ‘Top of the Lake: China Girl’.
O’Connell first found fame as the hard-living James Cook on the E4 teen series ‘Skins’ which was followed by other lead roles in the television dramas ‘Dive’ and ‘United’. He later made his Hollywood debut as Greek soldier, Calisto, in the action-war film, ‘300: Rise of An Empire’ before his multi award-winning performance as World War II POW, Louis Zamperini, in the Angelina Jolie directed drama, ‘Unbroken’. Since then he has starred in multiple projects including Jodie Fosters’ ‘Money Monster’ alongside George Clooney and Julia Roberts and TV mini-series ‘Godless’ alongside Michelle Dockery. O’Connell is a busy man at the moment. He next stars opposite Laura Dern in Roadside Attraction’s ‘Trial By Fire’, then, later this year, he stars opposite Kristen Stewart in ‘Against All Enemies’ and opposite Charlie Hunnam in ‘Jungleland’.
“Jack is one of the most fearless and instinctive actors of his generation and is the perfect choice to bring The North Water’s troubled and ambiguous hero to life,” commented Piers Wenger, Controller of BBC Drama.
‘The North Water’ (3×60’ + 1×90’) is executive produced by Jamie Laurenson (Head of Television) and Hakan Kousetta (COO, Television), alongside Iain Canning and Emile Sherman (joint Managing Directors) for See-Saw Films, Niv Fichman for Rhombus Media and Lucy Richer for the BBC. Kate Ogborn will be producing for See-Saw. The North Water is a co-production with Rhombus Media.
Filming will begin on ‘The North Water’ in Autumn 2019.
