The illustrious cast of Netflix’s upcoming political thriller The Diplomat has added two more names, actor Pearl Mackie and Jess Chanliau, HollywoodReporter has reported.
Mackie who rose to fame playing Bill Potts in BBC’s science fiction series Doctor Who and Chanliau who made her mark with Peacock’s Brave New World TV adaptation have been added for recurring roles in the series. The filming began in April and will continue through September this year in the UK. Actor Keri Russell is leading the series along with Rufus Sewell.
The Diplomat, as the name suggests, is a political thriller drama that revolves around a career diplomat landing a new role as an ambassador in the US London Embassy. But her new role, which she is unfit for, comes at a cost, both her work and personal life. Meanwhile, an international crisis is unfolding in the background.
The series is being created by Homeland, and Grey’s Anatomy fame Deborah Cahn who will serve as showrunner. British director Simon Cellan Jones is set to direct episodes 1 and 2 of The Diplomat. He has previously worked on Apple TV+ series See, HBO’s Ballers, and USA Network’s Shooter among other things.
Together, Russell, Jones, and Cahn along with Janice Williams, all serve as executive producers as well. For Netflix studio executive Sebastian Gibbs is spearheading the project.
As per THR, Mackie will play a character called Alysse, and Chanliau will play Ronnie, but otherwise details of their roles are being kept under wraps. The cast further includes Russel as Katie Wyler, the US ambassador around whom the series revolves. Sewell is cast as Hal Wyler, Katie’s husband and a former ambassador who is now reduced to being on the sidelines. It’s a dynamic that seems to cause trouble in the paradise as the attention Hal once received is now focused on Katie.
Orange Is the New Black actor Ali Ahn is playing the role of Eidra Graham, a CIA Chief of Station in London. She is described as effective and a realist who sometimes manages the rocky relationship between the CIA and MI6. The eight episode long series also features, Miguel Sandoval, Nana Mensah, Rory Kinnear, Michael McKean, Penny Downie, David Gyasi, Ato Essandoh, and Celia Imrie.
There is currently no release date set for The Diplomat.
