Filming has officially begun in the UK on ‘Mosquito‘, the new six-part Disney+ comedy-drama from Tony McNamara, the Oscar-nominated and BAFTA-winning writer behind ‘The Great’ and Poor Things. Nicholas Hoult (Superman, Nosferatu) and Daisy Edgar-Jones (‘Normal People’, Twisters) were already confirmed to lead the series, but now Disney+ has unveiled a rather impressive supporting cast joining them for a story about marriage, secrets, and one extremely irritating insect.
The series follows Ed (Hoult) and Kate (Edgar-Jones), a recently married couple whose carefully constructed versions of themselves begin to unravel as everyday life slowly chips away at their relationship. And what sets this particular domestic disaster in motion? An intrusive mosquito. Yes, really. Although, knowing McNamara’s knack for blending absurd comedy with rather uncomfortable human truths, it’s probably safe to assume the insect is just the beginning of their problems.
The series also reunites McNamara with Hoult, who previously worked together on the brilliantly bonkers historical comedy ‘The Great’. With McNamara back exploring the less flattering sides of human behaviour, this sounds like another opportunity for some gloriously dysfunctional characters.
And speaking of dysfunctional characters, the newly announced ensemble spans the couple’s professional and personal lives, with plenty of people seemingly harbouring secrets of their own.
On Ed’s side of the family, Kyle Soller (‘Slow Horses’, ‘Andor’) plays Hunter, Ed’s half-brother, who has devoted his life to the family business and isn’t particularly thrilled about having to share it with Ed. Phoebe Fox (‘Task’, The Woman in the Wall) plays Gail, their cousin, an anthropology PhD student and trusted colleague, while Francis Magee (‘Kin’, ‘Game of Thrones’) portrays Viktor, a longtime employee who has a score to settle.
Meanwhile, Kate’s workplace doesn’t sound much more welcoming. Belinda Bromilow (‘The Great’, The Roses) plays Agnes, Kate’s boss, whose management style apparently owes more to a medieval royal court than a modern office. John Macmillan (‘House of the Dragon’, ‘Peonies’) portrays Brian, an effortlessly charming but quietly ruthless high-flyer, while Liv Hill (‘Three Girls’, ‘1536’) plays Georgie, Kate’s cunning professional rival.
Outside the office, Akshay Khanna (‘Murderbot’, ‘Number 10’) plays Will, an old university friend of Kate’s, alongside Phoebe Campbell (‘House of the Dragon’, ‘Midsomer Murders’) as his wife Cressida. The wealthy couple have more than their fair share of secrets, which sounds like an excellent recipe for trouble in a McNamara series.
Rounding out the cast are Bamshad Abedi Amin (‘Kill Jackie’, ‘A Town Called Malice’) as Gail’s PhD supervisor, and Den Rasaq as another of Kate’s workplace rivals.
Lee Mason, Vice President of Scripted at Disney+ EMEA, commented:
“It’s a privilege to have such a phenomenal team assembled both in front of and behind the cameras as filming gets underway. I’m excited for Disney+ and Hulu audiences to see the wonderfully absurd world Tony has created.”
Executive producer Marian Macgowan and showrunner Tony McNamara added:
“We are all more than thrilled to be making Mosquito for Disney+, Hulu, and 20th Television. Led by Nicholas and Daisy and rounded out by this extraordinary cast we couldn’t be more excited.”
Behind the camera, Matthew Moore directs all six episodes, with production handled by 20th Television, Piggy Ate Roast Beef Productions and Hustle & Punch. McNamara, Hoult, Edgar-Jones, Marian Macgowan, Tracy Underwood and Daniel Pipski serve as executive producers.
The combination of McNamara’s wonderfully sharp writing, Hoult’s previous experience navigating the madness of ‘The Great’, and Edgar-Jones getting to explore something a little more darkly comedic makes this one to keep an eye on. Add in a supporting cast full of questionable colleagues, family tensions and wealthy people keeping secrets, and it sounds like Ed and Kate might have considerably bigger problems than a mosquito bite.
‘Mosquito‘ does not yet have a confirmed premiere date but will stream on Disney+ in the UK and internationally, and on Disney+ and Hulu in the US.
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