With the original Henry James novel having already been adapted by Jane Campion in 1996 as a movie starring Nicole Kidman, it’s now been confirmed that The Portrait of a Lady is now coming to our screens as a six-part limited series.
The new drama will be a co-production between Number 9 Films TV and Masterpiece and features quite the cast. Nell Tiger Free (The First Omen) leads the cast as protagonist Isabel Archer, while other cast members include Love Actually icon Bill Nighy and Blackadder’s Miranda Richardson.
Described as a “vivacious New World ingénue”, we’re set to follow Isabel as she leaves America for Old World Europe, keen to experience all that life has to offer.
The synopsis continues: “A charming young woman with an innate wildness and a burning desire to be independent, Isabel rejects a series of marriage proposals, but when she inherits an unexpected fortune that promises to grant her freedom, she falls prey to two American ex-pat schemers: the elegant Madame Merle, played by BAFTA-nominee Gemma Arterton (Secret Service), and the charming but calculating Gilbert Osmond, played by Jim Sturgess (Mix Tape).
“Oscar-nominee and BAFTA winner, Bill Nighy (Joy) plays Mr Touchett, who is enamoured with Isabel’s youth and spirit and hopes to help her in her quest for freedom, while Oscar-nominee and BAFTA winner, Miranda Richardson (The Last Anniversary) plays Mrs Touchett, Isabel’s fantastically eccentric aunt, who takes her to Europe in search of a husband.”
From the sounds of it, the new series seems like it will stick pretty closely to the original novel by James. As for other familiar faces joining the cast, those include Jack Wolfe (Shadow and Bone) as Ralph Touchett, Calypso Cragg (An American in Austen) as Pansy Osmond, Maisie Richardson-Sellers (Nine Perfect Strangers) as Henrietta Stackpole and Hugh Skinner (Two Weeks in August) as Lord Warburton.
Hamish Frew (Dear England) also stars as Casper Goodwood, Thomas Coombes (The Agency) as Mr Bantling, Lydia Leonard (Down Cemetery Road) as Countess Gemini and Edward Rosier will be played by Dean-Charles Chapman (1917).
Whilst a release date hasn’t yet been confirmed, filming for The Portrait of a Lady has now kicked off and will continue across the UK, Hungary and Croatia.
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On the announcement of the series, Stephen Woolley and Elizabeth Karlsen of NUMBER 9 FILMS TV said: “We are so pleased to be finally making this Henry James classic, which was far ahead of its time, with our friends at MASTERPIECE and the BBC. It’s wonderful to be reunited with Rebecca Lenkiewicz who we worked closely with on Colette and The Salt Path and to work with Aisling Walsh, whom we’ve admired from afar for many years.
“It’s also wonderful that we can reunite with some of the actors that we know so well from our movies in our first TV show; Bill Nighy, Gemma Arterton, and Miranda Richardson. We’re excited to see Nell Tiger Free in the iconic role of Isabel Archer and Jim Sturgess in the equally iconic role of Gilbert Osmond. We find it astonishing that James’s prescient story has not been made for television for nearly 60 years, but like all great things, it will definitely be worth the wait.”
Similarly, Susanne Simpson, head of scripted content and executive producer for MASTERPIECE, also said: “The calibre of talent behind this series is exceptional. It is a special pleasure to be working with Stephen Woolley and Elizabeth Karlsen, who are remarkable award-winning filmmakers, and with writer Rebecca Lenkiewicz, whose scripts are as beautiful as they are insightful.
“Director Aisling Walsh has brought together a stellar cast led by Nell Tiger Free, Gemma Arterton, and Jim Sturgess. They will all bring the nuance and beauty of Henry James’ story to the screen in an unforgettable piece of television.”
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The Portrait of a Lady will premiere on MASTERPIECE on PBS, streaming on the PBS app and PBS MASTERPIECE on Prime Video in the US and Canada, and on iPlayer and BBC One in the UK.
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