Almost half a century after its first screen adaptation, the Australian classic novel by Miles Franklin My Brilliant Career is being adapted into a Netflix series, starring a star-studded cast of Australian actors.
The series adaptation of the period drama set in 1890s rural Australia has been developed and co-written by Liz Doran, a television and film writer whose credits include Dance Academy, Please Like Me and the surfing drama Barons.
The production will be produced with Jungle Entertainment in Adelaide and filming has already commenced in various locations across South Australia.
Doran, who is one of three executive producers on the series, said “It’s been a privilege to work with so many incredible creatives on this reimagining of Miles Franklin’s rollicking tale of a young woman’s quest to determine her own life.”
Fellow executive producer, Chloe Rickard said “It’s thrilling to bring this Australian classic to a whole new audience.”
“Partnering with Netflix and fellow executive producers Liz Doran and Alyssa McClelland, with Philippa Northeast [of The Newsreader and Home and Away] as our rebellious and witty Sybylla, has been the stuff that dreams are made of,” she said.
Northeast will take on the lead role of Sybylla, in the story about a determined young woman who yearns to be a novelist.
The role of Mrs Bossier will be played by Anna Chancellor [BBC’s Pride and Prejudice and Four Weddings and a Funeral], while the male lead, Harry, will be played by Australian actor Christopher Chung [Slow Horses].
On Instagram, the 36-year old actor of Irish and Malaysian-Chinese descent celebrated his casting as a sign that “times are changing” regarding diversity in media representation.
“Twelve years ago, I left Australia chasing a career I wasn’t sure had space for someone like me,” he wrote. “Growing up, I rarely saw faces like mine on screen — and when I did, they were often tokenistic. I never thought I’d be a leading man. Never thought I’d be the romantic interest. Definitely never thought I’d be the romantic lead in a period drama — on the land that I was born on. Yet here we are. Honoured to step into the boots of Harry Beecham in this iconic Aussie story.”
Sydney-born director Alyssa McClelland (who is also credited as an executive producer) and film and television director Anne Renton are set to direct the series.
Netflix’s Vice-President of APAC content, Minyoung Kim described Franklin’s 1901 novel as “a timeless Australian story with themes as relevant today as when it was originally published.”
“We’re excited to be partnering with some of Australia’s best creatives and talent to bring this story to a whole new generation on Netflix,” she said. “And with its stunning locations, there’s no better home for this production than South Australia.”
Heralded as a feminist classic text, My Brilliant Career was first published in April 1901, under the male pseudonym Miles Franklin. At the time, Franklin was just 21 years old.
Despite its critical and commercial success, the author withdrew the book from publication in 1910, after she was subjected to “unwelcome notoriety” due to speculation that the heroine was based on Franklin herself.
Throughout her life, Franklin published 19 books. My Brilliant Career was reissued in 1966 and has never been out of print since.
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