Brenda Blethyn couldn't look more different from her iconic character, the trench coat-wearing DCI Vera Stanhope, in her upcoming role in the new drama film, Dragonfly, in which she stars alongside Andrea Riseborough (To Leslie) and Jason Watkins (Line of Duty). The film, written and directed by Paul Andrew Williams, follows two neighbours who strike up an unlikely friendship, only for it to be undone by prejudice and judgment, leading to a devastating conclusion, according to the logline.
In snapshots from the film, Brenda's character, Elsie, can be seen donning short, grey hair while sitting in an armchair and being cared for by Andrea's character, Colleen. Both actresses won the joint Best Performance award at the Tribeca Film Festival when the movie premiered in June this year.
HELLO!'s TV Writer Abby Allen said of the drama: "You know you're in safe hands with Brenda Blethyn – her role as Vera in the ITV detective drama is beloved by fans, and I can't wait to see her play an elderly, lonely woman who strikes up an unlikely friendship with fellow Oscar-nominee Andrea Riseborough."
What is Dragonfly about?
The powerful drama is billed as a "story of two neighbours who strike up an unlikely friendship, not always to the approval of others around them". The synopsis continues: "Seeing the lack of care that her elderly neighbour, Elsie (Blethyn), is receiving from so-called professionals, Colleen (Riseborough) takes it upon herself to care for her, finally finding a meaning and purpose in life. When her motivations are brought into question, a tragic sequence of events leads to a shocking and devastating end."
It continues: "Dragonfly is a heartbreaking, tense and atmospheric feature that will unsettle and make you challenge your preconceptions. It's a narrative that unflinchingly shines a light on the universal issue of social care and caring for the elderly and marginalised."
Who stars in Dragonfly?
Brenda Blethyn (Vera, Pride & Prejudice) leads the cast as vulnerable 84-year-old Elsie, alongside Academy Award-nominated Andrea Riseborough (Alice & Jack) as her 30-year-old neighbour, Colleen. They're joined by Jason Watkins (Line of Duty, McDonald and Dodds), who plays Elsie's son, John.
A UK release for Dragonfly has yet to be set.