The Renegade Nell trailer has officially dropped, and Louisa Harland is a tour de force! Portraying the titular Nell Jackson, the Derry Girls alum is joined by a stellar cast, that includes Frank Dillane, Alice Kremelberg, Nick Mohammed, Joely Richardson and Adrian Lester.
Co-created by the one, the only, Sally Wainwright of Happy Valley fame, the legendary writer lends her pen to this action-packed fantasy series. As for her conspirator, Sally has collaborated with Sex Education director, Ben Taylor, on the eight-parter.
“Nell Jackson, a quick-witted and courageous young woman, finds herself framed for murder and unexpectedly becomes the most notorious outlaw in 18th-century England,” reveals the synopsis. “But when a magical spirit called Billy Blind appears, Nell realizes her destiny is bigger than she ever imagined.”
© DisneyIntrigued? Fans can stream episodes from 29 March. In the meantime, Joely Richardson, who plays Lady Eularia Moggerhangar, has teased what’s to come.
Speaking to Tatler in February, the A-lister raved: “I knew instantly with Louisa [Harland] that she’s the real deal. The dialogue on the page is quite tricky stuff, very quippy. Obviously, the scripts are brilliant, but it’s not as easy as it looks.
© Disney“You wouldn’t know it because everyone has such a light touch, but that stuff can go very wrong because you’ve got to get the exact twist and wit. She was funny and charming and it all trickles down from the top. She absolutely carries Renegade Nell.”
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Adrian Lester – who fans will also come to know as the villainous Robert Hennessey, Earl of Poynton – has let slip a few details about the series, too. Joining Cate Blanchett, Kate Winslet and Dua Lipa on the Graham Norton Show last month, the actor couldn’t help but commend Sally Wainwright on her scripts.
© Disney"It is really good fun. It’s very different for Sally Wainwright,” he noted. "She’s put political intrigue, sprites, magic, lots of fighting, highway robbery, and Regency England in a big pot, gave it a stir and out came an amazing idea. It is really good writing and I have a really good time being bad."
As for the woman herself, Sally told Disney: "I can’t wait to bring swashbuckling highwaywoman Nell Jackson to the screen.
“Nell’s a ball of irreverent, blustering energy, fighting against the privileged gatekeepers of English society in 1705, battling to contain mysterious forces within her and her enemies as she goes on the run with her two sisters."
