RTÉ today announced the cast for the television adaption of Sally Rooney’s Conversations with Friends.
Building on the success of the screen adaptation of Sally Rooney’s second novel Normal People, which was met with worldwide acclaim upon its release last April, this 12-part series is highly anticipated.
Following in the footsteps of fellow alumnus Paul Mescal, Lir Academy graduate Alison Oliver, who hails from Cork, will assume the lead role of Frances.
The role of Frances’ part-best friend, part-ex-girlfriend Bobbi will be played by Sasha Lane, who sprung to stardom in Andrea Arnold’s 2016 film American Honey.
Jemima Kirke who starred in the HBO series Girls will play the older essayist and photographer Melissa, while Joe Alwyn, known for his role in The Favourite, will play the part of her actor husband Nick. Alwyn is speculated to be in a long-term relationship with American songstress Taylor Swift.
Published in 2017, the novel follows the story of two Trinity students Frances and Bobbi, who, in their unique navigation of early adulthood and its concomitant cultural and social spheres, form a chance connection with an older creative couple. As the relationships between the two pairings develop, Nick and Frances embark on an affair which tests the relationships between the central characters.
In keeping with the production team of Normal People, Lenny Abrahamson will once again assume the position of director.
The series will also see Alice Birch return to the writer’s chair, this time joined by Mark O’Halloran, Meadhbh McHugh and Susan Soon He Stanton, who will work to adapt the novel for screen.
The upcoming drama will be produced by Element Pictures, which also produced Normal People, with Sally Rooney working as one of the executive producers on the show.
The television adaptation of Normal People was streamed more than 62 million times, crowning it as BBC iPlayer’s most popular series of 2020. It has since been nominated for two Golden Globe awards, including Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television.
The series for BBC Three in partnership with Hulu is expected to air in 2022.
Sally Rooney is due to publish her third novel, Beautiful World Where Are You, on September 7th, 2021.
