The BBC has released two photos from child abduction drama The Cry, giving us our first look at Jenna Coleman in the lead role.
As we reported last month, the former Doctor Who star plays a young mother called Joanna, whose life and marriage is overturned when her newborn baby goes missing while she’s visiting family in Australia.
The story reminds us a little of The Child in Time, a drama about a similar incident starring Benedict Cumberbatch that’s due to start airing on PBS Masterpiece from April 1. The Cry is also based on a best-selling novel — a 2013 book by Helen Fitzgerald — and has been adapted by Jacquelin Perske, whose previous credits include Little Fish starring Cate Blanchett and Hugo Weaving.
It’s certainly Jenna’s most serious role yet, though since leaving the TARDIS she has popped up in films such as Me Before You and proved her lead status in historical royal drama Victoria.
It’s also her first role as a blonde, as she revealed in this photo taken en route to Australia last month:
Filming on the four-part drama got underway in Melbourne, Australia yesterday (February 19), meaning we also got a few more details about the plot and supporting cast.
We already knew Ewen Leslie (Top of the Lake: China Girl) would play her husband Alistair, and now it’s been announced they’ll be joined by Stella Gonet (The Crown), who plays Alistair’s mother Elizabeth, Asher Keddie (X Men: Origins), who plays his ex-wife Alexandra, and Markella Kavenagh (Romper Stomper), who plays his daughter, Chloe. Alex Dimitriades (Seven Types of Ambiguity), Shareena Clanton (Wentworth), and Sophie Kennedy Clark (Philomena, The Danish Girl) also star.
The Cry is expected to air in the U.K. and Australia later this year. A U.S. release hasn’t yet been confirmed, but rest assured we’ll keep an eye out for it.
Are you looking forward to this one?