There's a new Netflix period drama in the works! Based on the beloved novel by Miles Franklin, My Brilliant Career has just commenced filming in Adelaide, South Australia – and it stars some familiar faces from The Split and Slow Horses.
Production for the new series will see various filming locations across South Australia transformed for the period project.
Read on for everything we know about it so far…
What is My Brilliant Career about?
While there's no official synopsis yet, we can assume that the series will follow the plot of Miles Franklin’s beloved 1901 Australian novel.
My Brilliant Career tells the story of Sybylla Melvyn, a "vivacious and rebellious" 16-year-old who tries to break free of a life of restriction in the bush.
© Courtesy of NetflixThe book's blurb reads: "Trapped on her parents' outback farm, she simultaneously loves bush life and hates the physical burdens it imposes. For Sybylla longs for a more refined, aesthetic lifestyle – to read, to think, to sing, but most of all to do great things.
"Suddenly her life is transformed. Whisked away to live on her grandmother's gracious property, she falls under the eye of the rich and handsome Harry Beecham. And soon she finds herself choosing between everything a conventional life offers and her own plans for a brilliant career."
Who stars in My Brilliant Career?
Philippa Northeast (Territory, The Newsreader) stars as Sybylla, alongside Christopher Chung (Slow Horses, Blitz) as Harry, Anna Chancellor (The Split, Outrageous) as Mrs Bossier, Genevieve O’Reilly (Andor, The Dry) as Helen, Kate Mulvany (Hunters, Elvis) as Augusta, Jake Dunn (What It Feels Like For a Girl, The Ballad of Renegade Nell) as Frank, Alexander England (Black Snow, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart) as Julius, Sherry-Lee Watson (Thou Shalt Not Steal, Heartbreak High) as Nell and Miah Madden (Paper Dolls, The Clearing) as Betty.
© InstagramWhat have the cast and creatives said?
Leading lady Philippa Northeast took to Instagram to share a first look at her character, Sybylla. She captioned the post: "When fortune smiles! I don’t have the words to express the enormous honour I feel stepping into the courageous boots of Sybylla Melvyn in My Brilliant Career for Netflix. Luckily, Stella Miles Franklin had them all and gave us a story so progressive, endearing, honest, witty, unique, determined, passionate and female.
She went on to thank the crew, ending it with: "I cherish this young woman, this brilliant story, this opportunity of a lifetime and this formidable cast and crew."
Slow Horses star Christopher Chung also took to Instagram to share some photos with the cast.
As part of his caption, Christopher wrote: "I never thought I’d be a leading man. Never thought I’d be the romantic interest. Definitely never thought I’d be the romantic lead in a period drama – on the land that I was born on. Yet here we are.
"Honoured to step into the boots of Harry Beecham in this iconic Aussie story – My Brilliant Career for Netflix."
Meanwhile, executive producer and writer Liz Doran said: “It’s been a privilege to work with so many incredible creatives on this reimagining of Miles Franklin’s rollicking tale of a young woman’s quest to determine her own life.”
Nodding to its deep roots in Australia, Minyoung Kim, Netflix Vice President, Content APAC (ex-India) said: "My Brilliant Career is a timeless Australian story with themes as relevant today as when it was originally published.
"We're excited to be partnering with some of Australia's best creatives and talent to bring this story to a whole new generation on Netflix, and with its stunning locations, there's no better home for this production than South Australia."
