BBC have revealed that filming has begun for the adaptation of the bestselling novel and ultimate Instagram accessory, Normal People by Sally Rooney. The first snaps from the set of the upcoming series shows a sneak peek at filming, along with a first look at the show's lead character, Daisy Edgar Jones and Paul Mescal, who will play Marianne and Connell respectively.
Daisy Edgar Jones has been cast as Marianne
The 12-part series, which will air on BBC Three, also has Room director Lenny Abrahamson on board, while Sally herself is serving as executive producer. Speaking about the TV adaptation of her hugely popular novel, she said: "As a long-time admirer of Lenny Abrahamson’s work, it's a special privilege for me to be working alongside him on the adaptation of Normal People. I couldn’t be happier with the cast and team we’ve put together, and I’m very excited to watch them bringing new life to the story on screen."
Paul Mescal will play Connell
Lenny added: "It's incredibly exciting to be bringing Sally Rooney’s extraordinary novel to the screen with such a brilliant cast and crew. In Daisy Edgar Jones and Paul Mescal, I feel I have found two young actors who can vividly capture Marianne and Connell and bring alive the profound and beautiful relationship at the centre of the story. It’s also lovely for me to be shooting in Ireland again and telling an Irish story after shooting abroad."
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So what will the show be about? The official synopsis reads: "Normal People tracks the tender but complicated relationship of Marianne and Connell from the end of their school days in small-town west of Ireland to their undergraduate years at Trinity College. At school, he’s well-liked and popular, while she’s lonely, proud and intimidating. But when Connell comes to pick up his mother from her cleaning job at Marianne’s house, a strange and indelible connection grows between the two teenagers – one they are determined to conceal."
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