David Farnor | On 09, Sep 2017

“When I close my eyes, I can remember every detail of that house…”

That’s Grace (Sarah Gadon) speaking in the first full trailer for Netflix’s new drama, Alias Grace. It’s based on the true story of Grace Marks, a domestic servant in Upper Canada who – along with stable hand James McDermott (Kerr Logan) – finds herself accused and convicted of the infamous 1843 murders of her employer, wealthy farmer Thomas Kinnear (Paul Gross), and his housekeeper Nancy Montgomery (Anna Paquin).

Adapted from Margaret Atwood’s award-winning novel, the six-hour miniseries premieres on the streaming service on 3rd November. And judging by the new trailer, it’ll be just the thing to replace The Handmaids Tale-shaped whole in our binge-watching lives.

Here it is:

 

Trailer: Netflix’s Alias Grace to arrive in November

25th July 2017

“Think of all the things that have been written about me… How can I be all these things at once?”

That’s Grace (Sarah Gadon) speaking in Netflix’s new drama based on the true story of Grace Marks, a domestic servant in Upper Canada who – along with stable hand James McDermott (Kerr Logan) – finds herself accused and convicted of the infamous 1843 murders of her employer, wealthy farmer Thomas Kinnear (Paul Gross), and his housekeeper, Nancy Montgomery (Anna Paquin). Is she cunning? A killer? An innocent maid? A mix of all three?

The six-part series, based on Margaret Atwood’s novel, promises to explore her in all her nuanced contradictions and challenging complexities – par for the course for a series that’s written and produced by Sarah Polley (Take This Waltz, Away from Her) and directed by Mary Harron (American Psycho, I Shot Andy Warhol).

A co-production between CBC and Netflix, the programme will air on CBC in Canada on 25th September, with Netflix to release the show outside of Canada.

All episodes of Alias Grace will premiere on 3rd November. Here’s the trailer:

 

First look: Netflix’s Alias Grace

20th May 2017

With The Handmaid’s Tale now officially heading to UK TV, thanks to Channel 4, it’s easy to forget that we’re about to get another Margaret Atwood novel on our screens: Alias Grace. Netflix is adapting the award-winning novel into a miniseries, which will arrive this autumn.

Inspired by true events, the six-part series tells the story of Grace Marks (Sarah Gadon), a young, poor Irish immigrant and domestic servant in Upper Canada who – along with stable hand James McDermott (Kerr Logan) – finds herself accused and convicted of the infamous 1843 murders of her employer, wealthy farmer Thomas Kinnear (Paul Gross), and his housekeeper Nancy Montgomery (Anna Paquin).

The miniseries is written and produced by Sarah Polley (Take This Waltz, Away from Her) and directed by Mary Harron (American Psycho, I Shot Andy Warhol). A co-production between CBC and Netflix, the programme will air on CBC in Canada on 25th September, with Netflix to release the show outside of Canada in the rest of the world.

Here’s your first look at new images from the show:

[doptg id=”63″]

 

Netflix’s Alias Grace starts shooting

8th September 2016

Filming has begun on CBC and Netflix’s adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s Alias Grace.

The miniseries, which is inspired by the true story of Grace Marks, who was convicted of murdering Nancy Montgomery and Thomas Kinnear, is written and produced by Sarah Polley (Take This Waltz, Away from Her) and directed by Mary Harron (American Psycho, I Shot Andy Warhol).

It stars Sarah Gadon (Indignation, 11.22.63, Enemy), Academy Award-winning Anna Paquin (True Blood, Roots, Bellevue), Zachary Levi (Chuck, Tangled), Paul Gross (Hyena Road, Due South), Edward Holcroft (Kingsman: The Secret Service, London Spy, Wolf Hall), Kerr Logan (Game of Thrones, London Irish), Rebecca Liddiard (Houdini & Doyle), and none other than David Cronenberg.

The miniseries continues production in Toronto and across Ontario until mid-November. It was then be broadcast in Canada on CBC and in all other countries on Netflix.

“After almost 20 years of dreaming of bringing Alias Grace to the screen, it is beyond thrilling to see it all come together with such an amazing cast and crew,” says Sarah Polley, Executive Producer.

“Alias Grace is both a chilling true-life murder mystery and a story about the immigrant experience,” adds Noreen Halpern, Executive Producer. “I am both delighted and honored to be a part of this project of such scale and scope, pairing an impeccable literary pedigree with a creative team comprised of the very best talent. And to be the first co-commission between CBC and Netflix is truly icing on the cake.”
 

Anna Paquin joins Netflix’s Alias Grace

17th August 2016

Anna Paquin has signed on to play Nancy Montgomery in the screen adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s Alias Grace.

The six-hour miniseries, produced by Halfire Entertainment, CBC, and Netflix, is inspired by the true story of Grace Marks, who was convicted of murdering Nancy Montgomery and Thomas Kinnear. Alias Grace is written and produced by Sarah Polley (Take This Waltz, Away from Her) and directed by Mary Harron (American Psycho, I Shot Andy Warhol). The mini-series began shooting in Ontario at the start of this week, ready for broadcast on CBC in Canada and on Netflix everywhere else.

Alias Grace follows Grace Marks (Sarah Gadon) a poor, young Irish immigrant and domestic servant in Upper Canada who, along with stable hand James McDermott, was convicted of the brutal murders of their employer, Thomas Kinnear and Nancy Montgomery (Anna Paquin) in 1843. Nancy is Kinnear’s housekeeper and lover, and while she initially befriends Grace, she begins to resent Grace and becomes increasingly jealous of Kinnear’s affection for her. Nancy eventually fires Grace in a fit of rage and is later found brutally murdered.

“Anna is an incredibly versatile performer who always makes complex, unpredictable and fascinating choices in her work,” says Polley. “It’s always a marvel to watch her and we’re thrilled to have her join the cast.”

 

Sarah Gadon to star in Netflix’s Alias Grace

4th July 2016

Sarah Gadon will star in Netflix and CBC’s adaptation of Alias Grace.

Based on Margaret Atwood’s novel, the six-hour series , inspired by the historical true story of convicted murderer Grace Marks, is written and produced by Sarah Polley (Take this Waltz, Away from Her) and directed by Mary Harron (American Psycho, I Shot Andy Warhol). Now, Halfire Entertainment, CBC, and Netflix have announced that Gadon, last seen in 11.22.63, will play Marks, a poor, young Irish immigrant and domestic servant in Upper Canada who, along with stable hand James McDermott, was convicted of the brutal murders of their employer, Thomas Kinnear, and his housekeeper

Filming begins in Ontario on 15th August. Alias Grace will be broadcast in Canada on CBC and will stream everywhere globally on Netflix.

Netflix and CBC to produce adaptation of Alias Grace

22nd June 2016
Netflix and Canada’s CBC are teaming up to produce an adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s Alias Grace.

The novel, which is about real life murderer Grace Marks, is being adapted by Away from Her’s Sarah Polley, with American Psycho’s Mary Harron at the helm.

The six-part series will follow Marks, an Irish immigrant and maid in Canada who was convicted in 1843 of murdering her employer, Thomas Kinnear, and suspected of murdering his housekeeper, Nancy. Stable hand James McDermott, also tried and convicted, was hanged, while Grace was sentenced to life in prison – until she was exonerated years later.

The novel was published in 1996 and was shortlisted for Booker Prize.

“I first read Alias Grace when I was 17 years old and throughout the last 20 years I have read it over and over, trying to get to the bottom of it,” said Polley in a statement. “Grace Marks, as captured by Margaret Atwood, is the most complex, riveting character I have ever read. I’m thrilled that Mary Harron has taken the project on. I know that her ability to create suspense, tension, and delve into the dark, unknowable aspects of her characters will bring this piece alive. I can’t wait for us to bring the many versions of Grace’s gripping story, and the questions they raise, to television audiences.”

The show will be broadcast in Canada on CBC, with Netflix streaming the show exclusively in all other territories. The series is produced by Halfire Entertainment, with Polley, Harron and Noreen Halpern all exec producing and D.J. Carson co-producing.

CBC’s deal with Netflix follows a recent order of an animated series for the broadcaster, based on Atwood’s children’s book, The Wide World of Wandering Wenda.

The show’s commission arrives as true crime enjoys a surge in popularity, from the podcast Serial to Netflix’s docu-series Making a Murderer.

“Sarah Polley has done a brilliant adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s classic novel, which combines the richness of period drama with the tension and mystery of a modern day Serial,” says Harron. “It is an honour to be chosen to take this captivating story to the screen and to give new audiences the thrill of watching it unfold.”

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