Calling all Happy Valley and Downton Abbey fans! There's a new dark comedy drama on the way, and it sees an iconic collaboration between James Norton and Hugh Bonneville. Directed, written by and starring Tanya Reynolds, who played Lily Iglehart in Sex Education, Dog Person is set to be a black comedy feature film, which tells the story of Sally, a 30-something woman who's drowning under the pressures of everyday life. From producers Vaughan Sivell, Tom Wood and Franki Goodwin, the film comes from Western Edge Pictures with development support from the BFI. Filming is set to begin in London and Wales in March next year.
Whoever decided to pair up James Norton and Hugh Bonneville – aka Tommy Lee Royce and the Earl of Grantham – is a genius. As a huge fan of both, I can't wait to see them tackle comedy, marking a refreshing departure from their usual roles. Plus, Tanya Reynolds was brilliant as awkward teen Lily in Sex Education, so the fact that she's written, directed and stars in this project is a huge green light.
What is Dog Person about?
Dog Person centres around Sally, a 33-year-old dental receptionist whose life feels trapped between expectation and exhaustion. According to Screen Daily, the synopsis continues: "When she cracks a tooth and meets her new dentist, something unexpected stirs – a desire to hand over all control. She finds herself drawn into an unsettling fantasy, in search of an escape from a society obsessed with perfection."
© Jeff Spicer/Getty ImagesWho stars in Dog Person?
While a full cast list is yet to be announced, the line-up so far is pretty impressive. The film will be led by Sex Education star Tanya Reynolds, who also directs and executive produces the feature. She's joined by Happy Valley's James Norton and Downton Abbey's Hugh Bonneville.
© James Veysey/ShutterstockWhat have the creators said?
Speaking about her motivations behind the project, Tanya said: "I wanted to make a film about the desire to stop being a person, even if just for a little bit.
© Ian West - PA Images"This is a film about a woman discovering a fetish in her mid-thirties, and how she navigates this while trying to conceive a child with her rapidly dwindling supply of eggs. I think a lot of people will see themselves in Sally, even as she eats cod off of her dentist's living room floor."
Praising Tanya's writing, producer Vaughan Sivell said: "It's so exciting to discover a new voice. I read it on a plane, and within a few pages, I knew we had to make this film. A few pages later, I was laughing out loud… Dog Person captures something honest about the pain, pressure and pleasure of being human – it's strange, beautiful and completely Tanya."
