Photo via http://sam-worthington.org
Australia’s very own Sam Worthington is back in his homeland while he films the Australian mini-series Deadline Gallipoli. Not only is Worthington acting in the mini-series, he is also be working as an executive producer. Worthington has taken up residence in Adelaide while he films Deadline Gallipoli, which began on June 16. Joining him is an impressive line-up of local and international actors.
The cast features
• Sam Worthington (Avatar, Somersault)
• Hugh Dancy (Hannibal, The Jane Austen Book Club)
• Rachel Griffiths (Brothers & Sisters, Six Feet Under)
• Bryan Brown (Old School, Two Hands)
• Ewen Leslie (The Railway Man, Top of the Lake)
• Jessica De Gouw (Arrow, Dracula)
• Anna Torv (Fringe)
• John Bell, of Bell Shakespeare, in his first television role in more than two decades
• James Fraser (Devil’s Playground)
• Charles Dance (Game of Thrones, Gosford Park)
• and introducing 2013 NIDA graduate Joel Jackson
Deadline Gallipoli explores the origin of the Gallipoli legend from the point of view of war correspondents Charles Bean, Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett, Phillip Schuler and Keith Murdoch, who lived through the campaign and bore witness to the extraordinary events that unfolded on the shores of Gallipoli in 1915.
The surviving war correspondents’ defiance ignited a change in the campaign’s course. Their commitment to the stories of their men turned the war from a strategic failure into a triumph of human spirit.
Joel Jackson stars as Bean, Hugh Dancy as Bartlett, Ewen Leslie as Murdoch, and Sam Worthington as Schuler. Charles Dance plays Hamilton, the Commander of the Gallipoli campaign, Bryan Brown plays General Bridges and John Bell plays Lord Kitchener.
“This is a fresh take on the Gallipoli story, with these four journalists fighting the upper echelons of the military to get the truth out and stop the carnage,” Worthington said.
“I’m honoured to bring such an important story to audiences, in Australia and around the world.”
Foxtel Executive Director of Television Brian Walsh said “We have such an extraordinary ensemble of international cast and crew for this landmark Australian mini-series. Deadline Gallipoli will bring to life the history-making events that took place 100 years ago with a story that’s never been told.
“With its unique perspective and fresh approach to this legendary chapter in Australian history, Deadline Gallipoli will be a completely compelling television event for our Foxtel subscribers in 2015.”
Matchbox Pictures, producers of The Slap, Devil’s Playground, Old School and The Straits, will produce the four-part mini-series with Full Clip (the production company formed by Worthington).
Award-winning Australian director Michael Rymer will direct Deadline Gallipoli. Rymer’s credits include many US dramas American Horror Story, The Killing, Longmire, Hannibal and the critically-acclaimed Battlestar Galactica TV series, and the Australian feature film Angel Baby.
Penny Chapman of Matchbox Pictures will produce the series, with John Schwarz of Full Clip, and Jacquelin Perske. Executive producers are Penny Win, Foxtel’s Commissioning Editor of Drama, Michael McMahon of Matchbox Pictures and Sam Worthington.
Deadline Gallipoli has been written by four of Australia’s most exciting writers – Jacquelin Perske (Love My Way, Little Fish), Shaun Grant (Snowtown), Stuart Beattie (Pirates of the Caribbean, Tomorrow When The War Began) and Cate Shortland (The Slap, Somersault, Devil’s Playground).
Penny Chapman said “It’s been a privilege to work with such fine writers on this extraordinary story. Now, as Michael Rymer and our outstanding cast and crew bring it to life, we look forward to sharing its intimate, unexpected revelations with audiences throughout the world.”
Deadline Gallipoli will air on Foxtel’s showcase channel in 2015 to coincide with the World War I Centenary commemorations.
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