CBC, Netflix and Halfire Entertainment announced today that Anna Paquin has been cast in Alias Grace, the six-hour miniseries based on the novel by Margaret Atwood.
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 and directed by Mary Harron. Paquin, an Academy Award winner and star of hit HBO series True Blood, has signed on to play Nancy Montgomery. The mini-series began shooting in Ontario yesterday, August 16, 2016. It will be broadcast in Canada on CBC and globally outside of Canada on Netflix. Paquin joins a cast that already includes Sarah Gadon and Zachary Levi.
If you aren’t familiar with this story, here’s what you need to know:
Alias Grace follows Grace Marks (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 (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.
Polley commented on Paquin’s casting: “Anna is an incredibly versatile performer who always makes complex, unpredictable and fascinating choices in her work. It’s always a marvel to watch her and we’re thrilled to have her join the cast.”
Alias Grace is set to debut in 2017. An exact date hasn’t been announced.
